Posted on 03/25/2002 4:49:05 AM PST by The American
Who do you think is the typical cheerleader? Maybe you remember Buffy Gilmore, the conceited "Scary Movie" character. Perhaps Craig and Arianna, the hyper "Saturday Night Live" duo, come to mind. Or that "Saved by the Bell" ditz, Kelly Kapowski. These stereotypical characters make today's college cheerleaders cringe.
Sure, some cheerleaders fit the stereotypes, but things change when you reach the competitive college ranks. These cheerleaders build massive pyramids and execute dangerous tosses. They are acrobats one moment and daredevils the next. They are undeniably athletes.
Travis Prior, coach of the University of Colorado's cheerleading squad, recognizes the skill and work ethic of his team. He also knows the danger inherent to the sport in which athletes are injured all too often. Prior decided that something must be done, so he made a controversial decision.
He imposed a weight limit for females on his team.
Seeing that heavier females translated into more frequent and serious injuries, last year Prior implemented an informal 130-pound female weight limit. This year, he made the limit official and dropped it to 120 pounds. Females trying out for the squad this upcoming April will be weighed about once every week and will not be permitted to practice with the competitive squad if they exceed the standard.
Prior's decision sets no precedent; the University of Kentucky uses the same 120-pound standard. Virginia Commonwealth University prefers women shorter than 5'4" and lighter than 112 pounds. These schools should not be ridiculed for setting and revealing athlete weight restrictions.
Cheerleading today is much more than chanting "Go Team Go" at a football game; it has evolved into its own sport. ESPN even broadcasts intercollegiate cheerleading competitions. To win these contests, a squad must perform extremely difficult routines, and lighter females yield more extravagant performances.
Lighter females also improve a squad's safety. Competitive teams have males who toss and catch females like sacks of potatoes -- the lighter each potato, the safer the stunt. The truth is that weight matters when it comes to sports.
No sane Division I football coach would play a 160-pounder on the offensive line. Such a move would create a dangerous situation. Though a 160-pounder may be healthier than a 275-pounder, the heavier player could better survive the battles in the trenches. So yes, maybe a 5'7" female cheerleader who weighs 140 pounds is of better overall health than her 5'3" 110-pound competitor, but the 110-pounder is less of a safety risk.
And if a cheerleading squad's university believes that the safety risk is too high, the team's very existence could be jeopardized. Just last month, the University of Nebraska banned its team from tumbling or performing stunts because of a $2.1 million judgment against the school regarding a 1996 accident. This ban essentially limits the Nebraska cheerleaders to performing at football games.
To avoid a ruling this drastic, coaches must do everything they can to protect their athletes. Not all accidents can be prevented, but a weight limit might prevent some. So by instituting such a standard, Coach Prior might even save his squad from being disbanded.
But why, some ask, did Prior set an inflexible weight limit? He told The Daily Camera that the 120-pound limit is "a preference, really; not a restriction." Still, a restriction would be appropriate in this case. By being objective, Prior eliminates any question of favoritism or special treatment, which would arise if he handled weight issues on a case-by-case basis.
The other concern regarding the weight limit is the belief that it will encourage anorexia and bulimia. But this is a problem coaches already face and is unlikely to worsen with the new limits. Watching out for eating disorders is as vital a part of the coach's responsibilities as safeguarding tumbling stunts.
Travis Prior cares about his team. He saw an improvement that could prevent injuries and made the decision to enforce the technique, knowing full well the public ridicule it would bring him. No matter, he values the safety of his team more than his own reputation. Prior definitely has his priorities straight.
The cheerleaders want people to watch them. They might as well provide their victims with a good reason.
I'm partial to the taste of freedom doused in personal accountability so give me a NWO Flambe sprinkled with nuts. 8^)
Sorry to be so dense, but I don't know what "NWO" stands for.
;-)
New World Order.
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