The UA Razorback cheerleaders perform to a large crowd at the Arkansas vs. Auburn men's basketball game.

More than S-P-I-R-I-T

By: Wes Putt, Staff Writer

Posted: 2/16/06

Cheer-ocracy

How would you describe a Razorback Spirit Squad? Peppy? Cheerful? Beautiful? These might be some characteristics on the surface of a good spirit team, but Brian Williams, the co-captain of the Red Cheer squad thinks it goes deeper, she said. One duty as a cheerleader or pom squad member is to "always represent the University of Arkansas," Williams said, "on and off the field."

For the next home basketball game, the Razorbacks play against Florida-a game that is anticipated to define the Hogs' true role among SEC colleges. Williams and his squad will arrive to Bud Walton two hours prior to tip-off, as with all home games. "For football, we have to be at the stadium three hours before kick-off," Williams said.

Spirit teams performing at away games are met with thousands of rival fans that can go overboard at times. "We just have to treat every game like a home game. We still have some fans, our team, and each other," Williams said. "It's a lot of work," Kelly Williams added. With no relation to Brian Williams, Kelly Williams is the other co-captain of the Red Cheer Squad. Cheer and Pom members are required to memorize cheers, learn routines, and practice until the routine is perfect. "If it's not perfect by the night before a game, then we don't do it at all," Kelly said. "It all goes back to maintaining our appearance."

Perfection is key, but it's not uncommon for a routine to be changed or cut down in order to make it work, Kelly Williams said. "It can take up to a week to learn a two-minute routine." In fact, a full time-out for NCAA basketball is only 60 seconds. The spirit teams must take their places on court, synchronize, perform, and vacate in one minute's time.

Cheer-cisions

Cheerleaders and Pom members are chosen at the end of every Spring semester through a process somewhat akin to American Idol auditions. The 2006-2007 academic year will take on about 10 new squad members based on an array of individual talents. Cara Roetzel, captain of Pom Red is responsible for organizing and leading routines during halftime shows and during basketball games.

"First, someone would have to send in an audition video," Roetzel said. The videos are reviewed and finalists are selected based on individual talent and creativity. Once finalists are accepted, they receive an instructional video on what each squad requires during face-to-face tryouts.

From the video, participants learn up to three routines and the fight song. When they arrive at final tryouts in late March, they are tested on kicks, dance routines and a surprise routine.

"Surprise routines are taught during tryouts, so you have about an hour to learn it," Roetzel said. These factors account for about half of the points possible. The other half comes from interviews, she said.

"We all share standards," Kelly Williams said. Being a cheerleader is hard work, Brian Williams added. Interviews are conducted as a form of quality control, not just for the squad, but for each individual cheerleader.

"The last thing we want is for anyone in our squad to feel uncomfortable. We all have the same beliefs, and we're all Christians," he said.

Cheer-tators

Despite all their hard work, collegiate and high school spirit teams are currently under scrutiny from U.S. legislators. In May 2005, Rep. Al Edwards, D-Texas, brought up his experience of a football game in his district. A group of high school cheerleaders performing a dance routine during the halftime show were being too sexually suggestive, Edwards said, and were inappropriate. Edwards wrote a bill of law that would ban suggestive steps and dances from school events, and any schools found in violation could lose state funding.

According to the Austin Express News Bureau, the ACLU and several cheerleading sponsors objected to the bill, reasoning that it was too vague and left many questions unanswered. The ACLU states that the bill "violated First Amedment rights to free speech and artistic activities."

The bill eventually passed, with the amendment that the Texas commissioner of education would be responsible for determining when the "cheer" law is violated.

"We just keep in mind that girls ranging from one year old to teenagers look up to us," Kelly Williams said. The bill is too drastic, and it should be left to the school's best judgment, she said, adding that there is a better way of controlling inappropriate behavior-to hold cheer coaches accountable, and not the school or students.

"A cheerleader's job is to entertain, but we can't please everybody. We just use our best judgment and create as much positive energy as we can," Kelly Williams said.

Cheer-myths

One myth Brian Williams debunked was that not all male cheerleaders are gay. In fact, to his knowledge, there are no gay cheerleaders in his group. So why do people so often think that male cheerleaders are homosexual? For Kelly Williams, a big part of it is the rampage of traditional gender roles in the South. "In some states, the male cheerleaders dance, do flips, and participate in routines," she said.

Brian Williams isn't trying to break any barriers just yet, he said. "Right now, the male cheerleader's role on the team is to support the cheerleaders as lifters and catchers," he said. "We are strictly muscle," The same duties and standards apply to male cheerleaders, he said.

"Half…maybe more than half these guys here are ex-football players, ex-baseball players," Kelly Williams said.

Chris Opheim carries the task of "calling the Hogs" just before tip-off at each home basketball game. Opheim, a former linebacker in Fort Dodge High School's football team, has a talent cheering through a megaphone. As a former football player, he realized that cheerleading demanded more than just athletic ability. "You have to learn good social skills, deal with the fans, tell them to yell and keep yelling," Opheim said.

Brittany Kogut summed up the voice of the UA cheerleaders when she said "A lot of people think we just sit and look pretty…but we work hard, and we do a lot more than shake our poms."