Pony Cheerleaders Take Second Place!

[Ponymon]

I seem to recall some disparaging remarks during the season about the cheerleaders. However the April 6th Daily Campus has the following article about their return to competition:

Cheerleaders take second place


By Nate Regan
Staff Writer
April 06, 2004


The SMU Cheerleading squad’s Mustang spirit garnered it second place at the annual National Cheerleading Association Championship in Daytona Beach, Fla., this past weekend.

Making its return to nationals after an 11-year absence, the team left Texas with high hopes.

“We were going in saying, ‘Let’s do our best and make finals,’” said coach Sara O’Connell, whose optimism was boosted after the team held an open exhibition of their routines.

“After their show off on [March 28],” she said, “I had a very good feeling that they would do well.”

After their plane landed, the Ponies hit the ground running, coming out of the first round at the head of the pack. On a 10-point scale, SMU cheered its way to a first-round score of 8.89.

“Coming out of the prelims in first place was the best feeling in the world,” O’Connell said.

The team’s quick start earned them a nickname in the eyes of their competitors.

“[By the end of the first round], people were calling us ‘The Comeback Kids,’” said O’Connell.

But the first-place feeling was short-lived for the Mustangs, as the University of Houston Cougars went on to take the victorious honors for the small co-ed division.

San Diego State finished third.

“I couldn’t be any prouder,” O’Connell said. “They haven’t been to nationals in 11 years and came back with a second place trophy. They did amazing.”

The presentation of the trophy was a unique event in itself, as SMU alumnus and NCA founder Lawrence Herkimer made sure to congratulate his alma mater.

“He handed out the trophies to all the first-place winners,” O’Connell said, “and told us how proud he was of our team.”

Along with reputation of a team that came out of nowhere, this weekend also brought the Ponies attention from watchful eyes across the nation.

“People are now looking at SMU as a cheerleading school,” O’Connell said.

While nationals marked the finale of this year’s cheerleading season, the Mustangs will be hard at work soon, as tryouts for the 2004-2005 season will begin in two weeks.

The squad will spend much of the summer on the Hilltop, participating in different camps to work on co-ed routines and individual stunts and ensure another successful trip to nationals next year.

“They’re going to do great this summer,” O’Connell said. “I’m so lucky to be working with such a talented group.”

[EastStang]

Congratulations on the second place finish. Now if you all come to more games think of all the extra practice you can get it, so that next year you beat the f@#*ing Cougers.

[Arkpony]

Maybe this will encourage them to come to the games..at least they can practice there.

[Special_Delivery_Smu_Fans]

Congrats to the SMU Cheerleaders!

[couch 'em]

Maybe this will encourage them to come to the games..at least they can practice there.

Somehow I don't think they do quite the same stuff at games that they do at competitions.

[Greenwich Pony]

Well, if they're not doing the same thing at games as in competition (and my guess is they aren't), they why are we paying for them? I always thought the point of cheerleaders was to support the teams and rile up the crowd, or at least show up and show some enthusiasm.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that they won second place at the NCA's, but frankly there's no point to having cheerleaders if they don't do their jobs at sporting events.

[KnuckleStang]

I was hopelessly confused by this, until I spoke with Mrs. KnuckleStang about it (okay, I admit I'm still a bit confused). She is a former Berkner HS cheerleader. Their squad was apparently quite good and were invited to nationals at the time. While she never cheered in college, she says she's not surprised in the least by this development, and we at PonyFans need to "understand modern cheerleading culture." That "culture" dictates, unfortunately, that national cheerleading competitions are the only thing that really matters. Sure, it's fun to go to the games, yell, and dance around. Not only is it fun, it's expected. But at the end of the day, "serious" cheerleaders of today don't care as much about the teams they are cheering for as they do about their own competitions, because they consider cheerleading a legitimate sport in its own right. And she added that she's never spoken to a cheerleader who didn't feel the same way about it. (And yes, her favorite movie is indeed "Bring it On.")

So in other words, many cheerleaders view cheering at a football or basketball game as cheering at "somebody else's athletic event." In the big picture, it's secondary to them.

I'm not saying I agree with any of this. It actually makes me want to vomit. I told her so, and she of course laughed at me, and said go ahead. But I do find it interesting, because it may shed some light on the chasm between our SMU squad's dazzling NCA performance, and their (to read reviews on this board) subpar sideline/courtside performances.

Incidentally, I don't know how Berkner is doing now, but in '88 they were something like 4-6. Or, in her word, "just horrible." Sound familiar?

[Greenwich Pony]

And so the point of paying good money to cheerleaders who don't cheer is??? I mean a spirit squad that doesn't cheer for games is rather supurfluous. Why have a Ferrari in the garage that never sees light of day? Especially when we need all the support we can get for our athletic teams. Does cheerleading count as a varsity sport? If it does, maybe we can get men's track back. If not, I don't see the point in spending the $$$ if we're as strapped as we say we are. At least the MBand earns it's keep.

[EastStang]

I agree with you Greenwich. If they want to make Cheerleading an NCAA sport with incumbent recruiting rules and restrictions, then they should continue to be funded by the athletic department, otherwise, let them go raise money for an SMU competitive cheerleading club (like lacrosse does) and leave the actual cheerleading to people who actually care what happens on the field, or better yet drop them and pay for Peruna to go to away games. He's much more popular and at least he gets excited when he hears something happen.

[DiamondM]

I have been a critic of cheerleader attendance, and will continue to be whenever called for. I have also mentioned that I was pleased this year with an improvement both in the numbers on the team (when everyone is there) and the quality. So congratulations to the cheer team! I think this an excellent development and will lead to even more talented and spirited cheerleaders trying out for the team. I have always been mystified by the apparent lack of desire within the student body to be a cheerleader, when I'm sure there are a whole lot of high school cheerleaders on campus. Hopefully, this will help turn the tide.

However, I bet the cheer team did a bunch of neat pyramids and stunts to win 2nd, few of which we ever got to see because the entire squad is probably needed to do them. I would love see and applaud some of the winning spirit actually at games!!

[Dooby]

Why don't we offer full athletic scholarships for cheerleading as part of our compliance with Title IX?

It makes more sense to me than women's crew or equestrian.

[FloridaMustang]

I saw this! They were amazing! Their prelim round was awesome... cant wait to see em next year.

The NCA championship is really the only good thing about Daytona I tell you.

[EastStang]

What you don't like hookers and bikers?

[Pony_Fan]

Congrats on 2nd place but I agree with other posters, why can't they show up and perform like a 2nd place squad at games? I saw maybe 4-5 cheerleaders at hoops games and they didn't do squat nor show up on time to lead cheers.

[MrMustang1965]

...While she never cheered in college, she says she's not surprised in the least by this development, and we at PonyFans need to "understand modern cheerleading culture." That "culture" dictates, unfortunately, that national cheerleading competitions are the only thing that really matters. Sure, it's fun to go to the games, yell, and dance around. Not only is it fun, it's expected. But at the end of the day, "serious" cheerleaders of today don't care as much about the teams they are cheering for as they do about their own competitions, because they consider cheerleading a legitimate sport in its own right.

So in other words, many cheerleaders view cheering at a football or basketball game as cheering at "somebody else's athletic event." In the big picture, it's secondary to them.

You can thank SMU alum Lawrence Herkimer for this sad state of affairs with 'cheerleading' across the country. Cheerleaders - in the traditional sense - were called 'yell leaders' for years and years before "Herkie" started Cheerleader Supply Co. and became a multi-millionaire by perpetuating the 'modern cheerleading culture'. As much as I despise the Aggies, you gotta give 'em credit for getting a crowd behind a game! That's what a 'yell leader' (or 'cheerleader') is supposed to do! I, too, wanted to vomit more than once during the football and basketball games this year (not just because of the play on the field or court) but because of the pitiful showing by the so-called Mustang cheerleaders. My god...I got my section on the press box side of Ford Stadium more fired up than the student cheerleaders did during several games this past season! What the Mustang athletic teams need is someone like The Wolfman to show up and just get the crowds totally crazy over some over-the-top antic! 'Cause it sure ain't gonna happen with the Mustang cheerleaders. And whoop-de-doo...congrats on the 2nd place trophy...go stack another pyramid with yourselves.