Apparently, we have armies of cheerleader types out there upset with a recent article that appeared in The News-Sun about cheerleading, claiming that the cheer judges were being bashed. Nowhere in that article was anything said that was critical of how the judges scored the meet. If fact, quite the opposite was true!
The four teams that judges preferred at the North Suburban Conference Meet were the EXACT SAME four teams that these tired ol’ eyes ranked 1-4. The point was that if you were sitting in the stands and actually watched the 12 teams perform, it was very, very obvious who was good and who wasn’t.
The judges obviously are needed because their scoring and accompanying comments let the teams know what they did wrong and what they can improve upon to raise their scores. And they clearly got it right at the NSC meet. Nowhere in the article did it even suggest the judges were wrong because I, for one, happen to think they got it completely right.
Here, I think, is where the problem lies. In the gym at a cheerleading tournament, EVERY SINGLE PERSON in the stands watching (not the judges, mind you) has a rooting/vested interest in the outcome … except one.
Me.
So, I can sit in the stands and objectively watch all 12 routines and rank them 1-12. Every other person is looking at the meet with a rooting interest of some sort.
The point is this: In the last two years, I have attended FOUR cheerleading competitions, and in every single case – no exception – it has been possible to pick the top three teams. Maybe not in the correct 1-2-3 order … that’s what the judges are there for.
But, people, if you can’t tell who’s good and who’s not from the stands at a cheerleading competition, it’s because you’re watching through rose-colored glasses.
Now, onto something else. How can it NOT be a tremendous advantage to a cheerleading team to NOT have a gymnastics team at a school. Just do the math. If there are six girls on a varsity gymnastics team, that’s six girls who aren’t tumbling for the school’s cheerleading squad.
And in this sport, tumbling and stunts RULE.
Put a squad full of tumblers on the mat and you’ve got the potential to put on a spectacular routine … more so than a team with 10 tumblers and 10 non-tumblers.
The fact is, the top three teams at the NSC meet -- Lake Zurich, Antioch and Wauconda -- all are schools with great cheer program and NO gymnastics team.
That’s it for now.
The four teams that judges preferred at the North Suburban Conference Meet were the EXACT SAME four teams that these tired ol’ eyes ranked 1-4. The point was that if you were sitting in the stands and actually watched the 12 teams perform, it was very, very obvious who was good and who wasn’t.
The judges obviously are needed because their scoring and accompanying comments let the teams know what they did wrong and what they can improve upon to raise their scores. And they clearly got it right at the NSC meet. Nowhere in the article did it even suggest the judges were wrong because I, for one, happen to think they got it completely right.
Here, I think, is where the problem lies. In the gym at a cheerleading tournament, EVERY SINGLE PERSON in the stands watching (not the judges, mind you) has a rooting/vested interest in the outcome … except one.
Me.
So, I can sit in the stands and objectively watch all 12 routines and rank them 1-12. Every other person is looking at the meet with a rooting interest of some sort.
The point is this: In the last 2 years, I have attended FOUR cheerleading competitions, and in every single case – no exception – it has been possible to pick the top three teams. Maybe not in the correct 1-2-3 order … that’s what the judges are there .for.
But, people, if you can’t tell who’s good and who’s not from the stands at a cheerleading competition, it’s because you’re watching through rose-colored glasses.
Now, onto something else. How can it NOT be a tremendous advantage to a cheerleading team to NOT have a gymnastics team at a school. Just do the math. If there are six girls on a varsity gymnastics team, that’s six girls who aren’t tumbling for the school’s cheerleading squad.
And in this sport, tumbling and stunts RULE.
Put a squad full of tumblers on the mat and you’ve got the potential to put on a spectacular routine … more so than a team with 10 tumblers and 10 non-tumblers.
That’s it for now.
You cheerleaders win. Enjoy your meet on Saturday at Grayslake North.
All the cheerleaders in the area seem to always get mad at anything put in the paper about them. Atleast that is what i always hear about it.
Please don't stop attending cheer competitions. You put things in their proper perspective. I am the Mother of a Lakes varsity cheerleader, and have always found your articles to be truthful and informative. If cheerleaders and their parents are getting their feelings hurt by what you write they need to toughen up and get over themselves. Antioch is a really good team. Some of these girls have been together since middle school, and they have always been good. It's not their uniforms, it's hard work and dedication. Maybe if other teams followed their lead cheerleading as a sport would be taken more seriously. However, they should get rid of the FAKE hair and ridiculous bows in their hair. Thanks for hearing me out and just keep writin'.
You seem to write quite a bit about the North Suburban Conference - but you fail to talk about the Fox Valley Conference. You covered the NSC conference championship - but were no where to be found at the FVC Conference Championship. While we do not have the powerhouses of Antioch, Grant, Wauconda, Lake Zurich, etc. we do have great cheerleaders. I hope to see you this weekend at Sectionals, where I hope you honor all of the teams that qualify for State - not just those in the NSC.