Local News - December 2003

Cheerleading viewed as a ‘sport’

Charter School squad active for past five years

By SARAH GRANO, Staff Writer

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While cheerleading is not now permitted in Lincoln’s public middle schools, it’s alive and well for young teens at the Charter School.

“We take it as seriously as any other sport,” said Bill Elmore, principal of the Lincoln Charter School.

“It’s not just a supportive activity. Cheerleading stands on it’s own.”

The school has a separate charter and a separate board from all other public schools in Lincoln County, which enables them to have the activity.

All other public middle schools in the county do not allow cheerleading. The schools have not had cheerleading since they switched from junior high schools to middle schools in 1989.

The Charter School’s squad currently consists of 12 students. Because the school is small, everyone who tried out to be a cheerleader made the team.

“It enhances their self concept,” Elmore said. “It’s a boost.”

The squad originally had around 20 girls, but many of them quit after they found out how physically demanding it was.

Cheerleading practice includes running, dancing and stunts.

“A lot of people consider it not a sport, and that’s not right because we work hard,” said Brooke Rogers, a seventh grade student at the school.

The cheerleaders shake their hips, cheer for their team and do jumps and stunts at the school’s sports games.

“As long as you have the guts to go out and show spirit for your school, that’s all it takes,” said Maria Wood, an eighth grade student at the school.

Jeanette Parker, a parent of a Charter School student, coaches the squad. She believes cheerleading has changed since she was a student.

“That’s what surprised me a lot about cheerleading here,” Parker said. “When I went to school it was just really the rich, popular, prettiest girls.”

The Charter School cheerleading squad has girls of all shapes and sizes. Many admit to being in the school’s popular crowd, but they also say anyone is welcome on the team.

“If you’re not pretty or you’re not thin, we’re not going to kick you off the team or anything,” Rogers said. “The cheerleaders don’t exclude anybody. We’re not big old preps and cry over our nails or anything.”

The school has offered middle school cheerleading all five years it has been open. The activity is considered a sport, and the school’s athletic director manages it.

The participants have fund raisers to help out students who can’t afford uniforms.

The girls also spend time together at cheerleading parties and other social events.

“It helps them perform better when they’re friends,” Parker said. “They have little spats, but it doesn’t last five minutes, and then it’s over.”

All of Lincoln County’s public middle schools may have cheerleading soon. A committee has been formed to study the issue and come up with a compromise between parents, students and principals.

Opponents of middle school cheerleading argue that the activity can not be inclusive.

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Staff Writer Sarah Grano can be reached at 704-735-3031 or sgrano@ltnews.com

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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