College 2017 University Of Kentucky Cheerleading Tryouts

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Spot on. And some of them don't even go to UofL - they go to Juco. Not saying it's good or bad - just a much different philosophy than most college cheer programs.

There are usually two (really three) types of program philosophies for college cheer (and really school cheer in general) -

1. Cheerleading's purpose is for school spirit at events and games/appearances, competing is a bonus or extra.

2. Cheerleading's purpose at this school is to compete, games and appearances are the extra/bonus requirements necessary to compete (that most people just tolerate so they can compete.)

Then there's the third:

3. Cheerleading's ONLY purpose at this school is for school spirit. There is no competitive aspect at all. Games only.

I've definitely thought of and heard of UL as being mostly #2. Athletes tend to go to UL to compete. Games are just the extra. UK is definitely a good balance of 1 and 2.

There are also still some really big schools out there who fall under #3. Ex: UFlorida I believe and schools like TCU.

 

[ScottyB]

There are usually two (really three) types of program philosophies for college cheer (and really school cheer in general) -

1. Cheerleading's purpose is for school spirit at events and games/appearances, competing is a bonus or extra.

2. Cheerleading's purpose at this school is to compete, games and appearances are the extra/bonus requirements necessary to compete (that most people just tolerate so they can compete.)

Then there's the third:

3. Cheerleading's ONLY purpose at this school is for school spirit. There is no competitive aspect at all. Games only.

I've definitely thought of and heard of UL as being mostly #2. Athletes tend to go to UL to compete. Games are just the extra. UK is definitely a good balance of 1 and 2.

There are also still some really big schools out there who fall under #3. Ex: UFlorida I believe and schools like TCU.

Schools that follow #2 always get in trouble with athletic depts during AD shakeups, we see it time and time again.

And for schools that follow #3, one would think most schools would suffer from having quality cheerleaders since they don't compete, but there are just that many cheerleaders out there where they can be succesful: Florida, TCU, Duke, UNC, etc. (obvi those are big schools, but it still applies)

 

[cheer25mom]

If I ran a college program I probably would do similarly if I am presented with only 1 budget for maximizing school spirit at athletics events while ensuring that team fulfills all their other duties as students too.

That's easy to do when you can draw the talent like UK, but much harder when you are a small school or JUCO. Sometimes you just don't have enough guys to strictly do coed. There are several local JUCOS that have limited males and do all girl style stunting as well as some co ed pairs. They wouldn't have a program relying on coed pairs alone.

 

[ScottyB]

That's easy to do when you can draw the talent like UK, but much harder when you are a small school or JUCO. Sometimes you just don't have enough guys to strictly do coed. There are several local JUCOS that have limited males and do all girl style stunting as well as some co ed pairs. They wouldn't have a program relying on coed pairs alone.

For sure, you gotta take what you can get. There are a ton of cheerleaders out there so teams can have their pick of how they want the team to look.

I should have elaborated on that statement a bit more, I was meaning that I would do the same because of how the NCAA rules are for cheering games and for maximizing spirit in general.

Post season basketball, you're allowed 13 spirit squad members (cheer dance mascot) on the sidelines, so if you have an all girl team you get 3 groups and no dance or 2 groups and 4 dancers. But if you have a coed team you can get 3 groups with 6 people and have 6 dancers or 4 groups with 4 dancers or even 6 groups and no dance. With a coed sideline in this example you get more bodies and signs in the air, which produces more quality crowd leading than with more people under a stunt in an all girl setup. Also guys can project louder and deeper into a megaphone, spurring the crowd on further.

Don't get me wrong, all girl in college is legit too.

 

[Kentucky Girl]

Schools that follow #2 always get in trouble with athletic depts during AD shakeups, we see it time and time again.

And for schools that follow #3, one would think most schools would suffer from having quality cheerleaders since they don't compete, but there are just that many cheerleaders out there where they can be succesful: Florida, TCU, Duke, UNC, etc. (obvi those are big schools, but it still applies)

Don't forget Auburn and Notre Dame in the #3 category.

 

[Kentucky Girl]

That's easy to do when you can draw the talent like UK, but much harder when you are a small school or JUCO. Sometimes you just don't have enough guys to strictly do coed. There are several local JUCOS that have limited males and do all girl style stunting as well as some co ed pairs. They wouldn't have a program relying on coed pairs alone.

Does the name Sheldon State ring a bell?

 

[cheer25mom]

Does the name Sheldon State ring a bell?

Yes it can be done but my point is every school can't achieve it


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[gymcatmomx2]

Don't forget Auburn and Notre Dame in the #3 category.

Also University of Arkansas.

 

[ScottyB]

Also University of Arkansas.

Arkansas sometimes competes! Rare, but I have seen it in recent years past

 

[cheerisloving]

And for schools that follow #3, one would think most schools would suffer from having quality cheerleaders since they don't compete, but there are just that many cheerleaders out there where they can be succesful: Florida, TCU, Duke, UNC, etc. (obvi those are big schools, but it still applies)

There are great, advanced cheerleaders that really won't mind not having the pressure of not competing. They love cheerleading but they no longer want to spend hours running routines.

Cheering at a d1 school or any college with a focus on athletics is electric. It's not like HS where no one is going to show up. My football program is average, but people still come for at least the first half.

 

[TinyBlondie15]

Cheering at a d1 school or any college with a focus on athletics is electric. It's not like HS where no one is going to show up. My football program is average, but people still come for at least the first half.

Yes! I cheered D1 in college and it was so much different than high school! All of our men's Bball games were PACKED (we didn't have football) and you could really feed off the energy from the crowd. It was amazing!

 

[ScottyB]

Yes! I cheered D1 in college and it was so much different than high school! All of our men's Bball games were PACKED (we didn't have football) and you could really feed off the energy from the crowd. It was amazing!

Totally right @cheerisloving. The whole gameday vibe, regardless of the outcome of the game is what its about. Seeing the people, enjoying the day with similar minded fans, the foods! lol, and of course just getting to cheer a game is a blast too

 

[TinyBlondie15]

Totally right @cheerisloving. The whole gameday vibe, regardless of the outcome of the game is what its about. Seeing the people, enjoying the day with similar minded fans, the foods! lol, and of course just getting to cheer a game is a blast too

When my team made school history and made it to the NCAA tournament, I was on the court and nearly got crushed by all the people storming the court super excited! LOL

 

[ScottyB]

When my team made school history and made it to the NCAA tournament, I was on the court and nearly got crushed by all the people storming the court super excited! LOL

Such great memories! lol

 

[cheerisloving]

Totally right @cheerisloving. The whole gameday vibe, regardless of the outcome of the game is what its about. Seeing the people, enjoying the day with similar minded fans, the foods! lol, and of course just getting to cheer a game is a blast too

I might have never won a NCA championship but more people are interested with the NCAA games I got to cheer.