College Hpu Cut There Cheer Program???????

[Ashley]

Could they make an HPU Club Cheer team like Ohio State, Georgia and Florida do? I don't see any reason why if the cheerleaders pay for their own trips to Nationals that the school would say no....

I feel so bad for their athletes. Hoping a resolution is made soon for them to compete.

We looked into that that my school, and we were better off staying under the marketing department. At least then we had our coach and uniforms and sneakers/sports bras paid for. Our dance team, which was a club, didn't even have a coach.

 

[georgiamom]

These kids at HPU are really trying to make their voices heard and bring to light the amount of love and respect the worldwide cheerleading community has for them. There are petitions and emails addresses that have been posted throughout the FB cheer and twitter community for people to sign and send letters of support to. The president of their student organization has actually scheduled an organized "RALLY" to get behind them in their efforts. Local news media both TV and newspapers have been contacted for support.What an amazing statement is being made that the student body and the president of the student body are backing these athletes in their efforts. I personally would love to see the cheer community near and far back these kids in their efforts. I am not sure how many of you have had the opportunity to observe these athletes while they are attending NCA College Nationals or even local community events but I can tell you that it goes WAY beyond cheerleading for them at ANY and EVERY event that they attend as University ambassadors. These kids are taught to love and to share the ALOHA spirit and pride themselves in doing so. It is a lesson that becomes a part of their heart and is forever embedded in them as OHANA(family) !!! Ask any one of them about it and their faces will light up and they will share with you a spirit that is truly special. This is something that is PRICELESS and is not learned in a classroom and has NO BUDGET !!! Please support them by signing a petition or sending letters. ONE LOVE, FOERVER OHANA !!! HPU CHEER

 

[georgiamom]

These kids at HPU are really trying to make their voices heard and bring to light the amount of love and respect the worldwide cheerleading community has for them. There are petitions and emails addresses that have been posted throughout the FB cheer and twitter community for people to sign and send letters of support to. The president of their student organization has actually scheduled an organized "RALLY" to get behind them in their efforts. Local news media both TV and newspapers have been contacted for support.What an amazing statement is being made that the student body and the president of the student body are backing these athletes in their efforts. I personally would love to see the cheer community near and far back these kids in their efforts. I am not sure how many of you have had the opportunity to observe these athletes while they are attending NCA College Nationals or even local community events but I can tell you that it goes WAY beyond cheerleading for them at ANY and EVERY event that they attend as University ambassadors. These kids are taught to love and to share the ALOHA spirit and pride themselves in doing so. It is a lesson that becomes a part of their heart and is forever embedded in them as OHANA(family) !!! Ask any one of them about it and their faces will light up and they will share with you a spirit that is truly special. This is something that is PRICELESS and is not learned in a classroom and has NO BUDGET !!! Please support them by signing a petition or sending letters. ONE LOVE, FOERVER OHANA !!! HPU CHEER

*FOREVER

 

[flcheermom]

*FOREVER

I hope it works out for them! 2 girls my daughter cheered with, now cheer there - 2 sweet and talented girls, and I wish nothing but the best for them - they are living their dream of cheering at HPU.

 

[ztaprincess]

The way it reads in the press release is that those athletes who are already members, not the ones getting ready to tryout, will continue to receive their scholarships. Those who are trying out this weekend and make it will not get the scholarship that they believed they had a chance to get. I mean I could be reading the press release and interpreting it wrong, but that to me sounds like everyone already on the team will get a scholarship.

I just hope that those athletes who have planned on attending HPU also applied to other places. I know that Louisville accepts late applications for transfer students so I would assume they would for freshman as well.
In this whole thing the part that worries me is actually what athletes will do about college itself. HPU is a nice school, I looked into grad school there, but most athletes are choosing there for the cheer program and not the academics of the school. Now these kids who will graduate next month (or in June) have to make a decision all over again if they want to get their education at HPU or if they want it somewhere else where they can also compete.

 

[ScottyB]

I hate when things like this happen, but the truth is it happens a lot to many programs. This is one of the first times it has happened to a big name squad. Alabama tried to do it but eventually was fought back by alumni, but those kids aren't on scholarship so it was really just a battle to compete or not.

Unfortunately college athletics is more business for schools than providing an experience for student athletes. When the school foots the bill for scholarships, gear, uniforms, facilities, insurance, coaching salary and other assorted funds, they want to see the cheerleaders first and foremost as supporters of the school's athletic endeavors and secondly as a competitive team for the athletes who train hard to provide fan entertainment at athletic and school events. Sometimes the administration doesn't always see the value of having good/talented cheerleaders because the budget concerns are too heavy and pressured on them. Which then creates the need for the schools to restructure how the cheer program functions and exists.

I am sad for those kids and the alumni of that program, but I am glad to see the school is upholding their side of the deal and honoring the current team members scholarships until their education is completed.

This just proves even at the college level you cant take anything for granted, even your right to go compete under the school's name.

 

[BOOMbelieve]

HPU is selling shirts to raise money.. Hopefully this money can go toward next year's Daytona trip (if they show the University they can pay for it on their own!).. The shirts are $15 + a one time $6 shipping fee per order (if you are on the mainland)..

Orders are due by Monday, so get your orders in!! Youth and adult sizes available!!

Order Here!! Mahalo!!

 

[ScottyB]

Its interesting, from seeing the tshirt sale picture above to all the posts and groups on facebook trying to collect money, the group of people trying to save the competitive side of the program are missing the big picture that the school wants. Which is also what got them in the predicament they're in now.

The school wants them to focus on supporting athletics and the school, not just being the ___th National Champions for HPU cheer. Their job, in addition to competing, was to support the schools athletic endeavors. But they were not fulfilling that part of their job as HPU cheerleaders so the administration had to change something to change the focus of the squad. Yes its based on budget, but more based on direction the school wants the team to head. Yes its sad to see these kids have their opportunities taken away from them.

But if they want to fight the school's decision and keep their program they need to do more than just raise money for next year's NCA Nationals. The money drives are just proving to the school where the team's focus is and that it isn't in the right place (according to the school)

 

[Ashley]

Its interesting, from seeing the tshirt sale picture above to all the posts and groups on facebook trying to collect money, the group of people trying to save the competitive side of the program are missing the big picture that the school wants. Which is also what got them in the predicament they're in now.

The school wants them to focus on supporting athletics and the school, not just being the ___th National Champions for HPU cheer. Their job, in addition to competing, was to support the schools athletic endeavors. But they were not fulfilling that part of their job as HPU cheerleaders so the administration had to change something to change the focus of the squad. Yes its based on budget, but more based on direction the school wants the team to head. Yes its sad to see these kids have their opportunities taken away from them.

But if they want to fight the school's decision and keep their program they need to do more than just raise money for next year's NCA Nationals. The money drives are just proving to the school where the team's focus is and that it isn't in the right place (according to the school)

Or the school is just using that as an excuse because they don't want to keep paying for the VERY expensive trip to Daytona. We don't know, but it's already been said that all the fundraising they do barely makes a dent in the trip costs. And they cut scholarships too, it's entirely possibly that this is all about money.

 

[ztaprincess]

Have they always sold shirts to raise money for nationals? If so then if it didn't cover all the costs in the past how is it going to work now?

I will agree with ScottyB though that all of these groups and tshirt sales to send them to nationals is proving to the school that their main focus is going to win a national title and not supporting the other athletics. I am sure that the cut was made to save the school money, but they did say in their release that they want them to show more support towards the other athletics. If they are just trying to save money to go to nationals that isn't going to look good to those who want them to support other teams more. Plus even if they save the money the school can still decide to not allow them to go.

What I am more interested in finding out is how this effected their tryouts.

 

[SparkleSpankies]

I always tell my HS girls that they should not expect scholarship $$ to cheer in college b/c as many said, the school isn't making $ off of cheerleaders if they are giving tuition away, no one pays money to come watch cheerleading like they would football/basketball etc. What I do tell them is don't expect to compete and if you do, more then likely it will be 1 time a year at UCA/NCA and maybe an appearence or 2 to get the routine out there. Most college cheerleaders foot that bill.

It seems as if they are cutting the competition aspect b/c the scholarships to cheer there are getting too expensive and they are losing money. I think if people want to cheer at HPU eventually they will be able to compete again, however, you may have to work harder to build a competitive program since you are not paying people to cheer. The formula will be different...

 

[anw468]

HPU is selling shirts to raise money.. Hopefully this money can go toward next year's Daytona trip (if they show the University they can pay for it on their own!).. The shirts are $15 + a one time $6 shipping fee per order (if you are on the mainland)..

Orders are due by Monday, so get your orders in!! Youth and adult sizes available!!

Order Here!! Mahalo!!

I bought a shirt and have yet to receive anything... Anyone heard anything??

 

[Mightymouse34]

Daytona is gonna be very different without HPU. And now that there gone both Small coed and Large Coed DII are up for grabs. I wonder what the high school kids that graduated with the intent on attending HPU next fall decided to do. I hope they all found great schools with decent programs as their back up plans. Ive heard alot of the older cheerleaders are staying in Hawaii and just finishing school, no idea what the freshman or sophomore kids decided to do.

 

[cheermom]

I bought a shirt and have yet to receive anything... Anyone heard anything??

Same here on in March still no shirt. Sent SEVERAL emails and no reply. If anyone knows how to contact the person please let us know.

 

[nm1cel1]

Same here on in March still no shirt. Sent SEVERAL emails and no reply. If anyone knows how to contact the person please let us know.

They have already sent the shirts and you should be getting them soon, if you paid for shipping.