Cheerleaders bring spirit, hard work to games

There are some things you just don't say out loud.

You don't say that cheerleading is for the weak and you never, especially if you're familiar with the Rogers High School cheer squad, say they're not some of the hardest-working students in the school.

If you do slip up and say those things, you'll be refuted.

They fly through the air with twists and flips. They pump up the crowd on football nights and seemingly never wane in their enthusiasm for their beloved Pirates.

The Rogers High School cheerleading squad, by anyone's standards, is a significant part of the school's spirit. For that matter, the 14 varsity and 11 junior high cheerleaders who combine to perform in state and regional competitions are leaders in the community.

"Our work really starts on Mondays and all week we're working towards that game on Friday night," said Chyna Goliver, one of three senior captains on the squad. "I think people respect us and realize how hard we work. I don't think there's a perception that we're just about the skirts and hair and makeup."

Goliver said there's a sense of pride in being part of a championship squad because other squads recognize the hard work. But she says the real payoff is when "we yell at games and the crowd yells back."

"We know we're hard-working athletes and we don't worry when people don't acknowledge that or say cheerleading isn't a sport," she said. "We push ourselves and put in a lot of hours practicing to be the best we can be. The frustrating thing is that people have no idea the sacrifice these girls make. Cheerleading for us is year-round. And yes, there's a lot of pressure because we have little girls looking up to us and we have a good, solid reputation to uphold."

Cheerleaders in Alabama are held to Alabama High School Athletic Association standards for grades and behavior.

The practice schedule is a minimum of two hours daily. Some weekend practices, closer to competition time, are also held. And, it isn't unusual for the group to return to the school at night to work on some new stunts or a complicated dance routine.

The squad's coach, Bonnie Black, says the cheerleaders know when they're selected in the spring what being a Pirates cheerleader means: taking responsibility for keeping students motivated, being good examples for the student body and remaining in strong academic standing.

"They spend hours every week doing all the little things that everyone expects like painting signs for the school and ball games, selling spirit items and scheduling student dress-up days on Fridays, not to mention all the time they put in to perfect their cheers and (dance) routines," Black said. "They're expected to be top-notch and they realize that."

Though only the 14 varsity cheerleaders cheer at high school games, this fall, the combined squad of 25 will compete at a regional competition sponsored by the Universal Cheerleading Association as well as at a state competition later.

"It can be irritating to hear people say cheerleading isn't a sport when we work harder than some of the other sports teams around," said senior captain Emily Auten. "This is way more than just an extracurricular activity. It's a year-round commitment. I love it."

For Amber Cannon, the third senior captain on the squad, the squad doesn't have to be pushed to be its best - that pressure comes from themselves.

"Nobody wants to let people down, especially little kids that look up to us," Cannon said. "There's sacrifice involved in cheerleading but that's the price we pay for something we love."

Lisa Singleton-Rickman can be reached at 740-5735 or lisa.singleton-rickman@TimesDaily.com.