All Inclusive Middle School Cheer Squads - Is it POSSIBLE?

All Inclusive Middle School Cheer Squads - Is it POSSIBLE?

All inclusive cheer teams—is it a crazy idea? I haven’t been in middle school for a very long time, but last I checked anyone that wanted to play junior hig

Jun 13, 2016 by Vicki Dill
All Inclusive Middle School Cheer Squads - Is it POSSIBLE?
All inclusive cheer teams—is it a crazy idea? 

I haven’t been in middle school for a very long time, but last I checked anyone that wanted to play junior high girl’s volleyball made a team. Maybe it was the 7th grade C team but nevertheless they made the team. Why do only a set number of mostly girls get to experience cheerleading? Why is cheerleading so exclusive and only reserved for those who have had years of private training and the funds to afford it?  


All Inclusive Cheer Team Experience:
In 1993 I was fresh out of college and hired to teach 7th grade reading in a low to mid income Houston suburb. In addition to teaching, I was hired as the cheerleading sponsor. This was a thrill for me because I had cheered my whole life and spent my college years teaching UCA camps. The principal who hired me was enthusiastic and positive. That first year of teaching he wanted to have an all inclusive cheerleading squad. Anyone who turned their paperwork in on time and had the required grades and teacher recommendations—along with the funds to afford the uniform and camp—could be on the cheer team.

How did it work out?
That year I ended up with 60 middle school cheerleaders. I had the experience necessary to handle a group like this. I took girls who had no experience and turned them into cheerleaders. I taught them from the ground up. Since all star cheerleading was so new, only a handful had any tumbling experience. The remainder were newbies. I had to teach them motion and jump technique, the basics of stunting and I even attempted to teach them how to tumble. I divided them into four squads of 15. No one had to cheer at too many games a week because we had so many cheerleaders to cover all sports.

The Benefits for Team Members:
I had all types of girls on this cheer squad. Regardless of the group of kids they hung out with, they were all proud to be a cheerleader on the school’s squad. It gave them a sense of pride and belonging.

Every single one of these girls worked hard for me. They all participated in cheering at games and at all the pep rallies. They were expected to make good grades, attend practices and behave in class. These girls felt important because they were a part of a group, even if it was all-inclusive. This experience gave them confidence, self worth, an awareness of exercise and good eating habits and they formed friendships outside their typical circles.

[instagram url="https://www.instagram.com/p/BBvHE2JrCPX/?tagged=middleschoolcheerleaders&hl=en" hide_caption="0"]

Cheer vs. Other Sports

Not all girls want to play volleyball, softball, soccer, or basketball.

Some girls don’t like regular sports, but they might not have the opportunities to make cheerleader. Being on a cheer squad is a privilege. But unlike other sports, the girls who make the cheer team had to get their training outside of school. So the cheer squads are made up of the kids who have opportunities to take dance, tumbling or be on an all-star cheer team.

This just doesn’t seem fair. 

All Inclusive Middle School Cheerleading:

Why can’t middle school cheerleading be all-inclusive? This gives anyone who wants to be a cheerleader the chance to learn the basics of cheer. Schools should hire a teacher who has some experience, like they do with football and other mainstream sports. It's not realistic for high school cheerleading to be all-inclusive. But with 7th grade as the first year kids are allowed to cheer in school, shouldn’t they be offered the opportunity to participate?

[instagram url="https://www.instagram.com/p/BBTRiQXLCKJ/?tagged=middleschoolcheerleaders&hl=en" hide_caption="0"]

Qualified Cheer Coaches are NECESSARY:

Clearly for this to work schools would need to hire cheer sponsors/coaches with experience or have a budget to pay for training for the team if the sponsor isn’t experienced. When I think back on that year, it’s crazy what I was paid to do that job!  I shared my sponsor duties with another girl and we each got paid $250 per year to coach the cheer team. I was being paid pennies for the time I spent mentoring and training these girls. But I would have done it for free. When you love cheering, you want to share your passion with everyone.