Bloomington High School South, The Gothic, 2017, Page 96

Description:	za.joCNcoU(L>QAlthough cheerleading requires a an abundance ofathletic ability, hours of practice, and a willingnessto put oneself in sometimes dangerous situations,the activitiy is not always seen as a sport. TheInternational Olympic Committee just took a bigstep to change that by voting to make cheerleadinga provisional Olympic sport. This change causescheerleading to now have governing body andadditional money every year.PHOTO COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONSThere are a lot of athleticqualities of cheerleading. I thinkit is super awesome that they[International OlympicCommittee] recognize the hardwork that the girls put in andare willing to make that anOlympic sport.SENIOREMILY AXSOMI think it was right of [theInternational OlympicCommittee] to do this becausesome people say thatcheerleading is not a sport, but Idisagree.FRESHMANGRACIE SHIELDSCHEERS, NOT JEERSpositivity and teamwork both atSouths cheer squad promotesschool and during games.The Bloomington South cheerleaders live up to thedefinition of leadership. While they are seen on thesidelines and gymnasium floor, they are alsoconstantly in the public eye. Consequently, Southscheerleaders not only show their talents, skills, andabilities, but they conduct themselves in a positivemanner in order to best represent the school. TheSouth cheerleaders promote school spirit as well asthe slogan Panther Pride as they lead multiplecrowds in spirit chants and connect the fans to theplayers. Their role requires endless hours of practice,positivity, enthusiasm, and working as a team.As with any team, camaraderie and unity isessential. The South cheerleaders were cohesive thisyear, and according to senior Livia Hillenburg,Everyone seemed to get along. Cheerleading notonly relies on unity, but it often includes physicalstrength, dancing ability, hard work, commitment,and an open mind. This was true with the Southsquad as sophomore Lauren Gater said, This seasonI enjoyed working together as a team and beinginvolved. As with most teams, senior BrookeHudson said, We improved throughout the season.Fans often look to the cheerleaders to infusespirit, enthusiasm, and sportsmanship withoutrealizing the magnitude of effort involved for everycheer event. Cheer squads are constantly changingcheers and adding new ones while keeping safety inmind. Souths cheerleaders support the team and fanbase with enthusiastic chants as well as stunts thatdisplay their skill, athleticism, and coordination.Although these stunts range from basic to complex,the cheerleaders perform under strict safetyguidelines. Consequently, each squad member has arequired role when it comes to stunting. Hillenburgand Hudson are both bases during stunts, butHudson also doubled as a flyer this year. Theflyer is the individual who is lifted into the air bythose in base positions. Additionally, the flyer isoften at the top of the pyramid or the one tossed intothe air then caught by the bases. Flying was a bigchange, said Hudson. Comparatively to the otherroles, being a flyer has its own complexities anddangers, but it is vital to the squads cheerperformance.As the year comes to an end, both Hillenburgand Hudson agreed that cheering at the basketballsectionals and winning was fun. While sayingfarewell to the seniors is difficult, sophomore Gatersaid, One thing I look forward to is meeting newgirls on the team next year.-SARAH BROWN96 \| Athletics NEARLY 500 MIGRANTS SWARM THE SPANISH BORDER FROM MOROCCO 2/171 AUTHORITIES IN PENNSYLVANIA c
Source:	http://cdm17129.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/hs-bloomsouth/id/9475
Collection:	Bloomington High School South

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