Regardless of any hard work and dedication of the PMHS cheer team, some students do not think it is a sport.
¨I feel like cheer isn’t really a sport, they only just shake their pom-poms and don’t really do anything¨ a Perry Meridian student said. Some students at Perry do not think cheer is a sport because they do not see them being as active as other sports.
“Cheer doesn’t even need to be a sport, I appreciate the good work that they do but we can barely hear them when we are even on the sidelines or even notice them cheering,” said another Perry Meridian student.
These people who stayed anonymous did not want to face any backlash for their opinion.
Students who share these beliefs often lack the necessary information about what cheer teams do.
Jayla Coller, a freshman on JV, wants students to be informed. “It’s much more than just sitting there and looking pretty, it’s tough. We go through some of the hardest challenges and face several issues and much frustration but it’s all worth it. It should be recognized as more of a sport, and everyone needs to know that,” Coller said.
The cheer program placed runner ups for the 2024 Mid-State competition. The cheer program was very thrilled to have such an accomplishment. Especially sophomore Alexis Ritter on JV, who has grown up in the program. “I felt incredibly proud; even though it wasn’t first place, it was a huge accomplishment in the cheer program. It was a great success and couldn’t be described as anything more than triumphant,” Ritter said.
Sophomore Chloe Clark, a varsity cheerleader, felt such a relief with last year’s placement. “I think that it was an absolute relief. I think we all had so many nerves, considering the year before we placed last. In the moment, we were all so proud of one another, considering all the obstacles we faced,” Clark said.
With this new season that is already here, many cheerleaders love the excitement and joy that comes with the sport.
Sophomore Melody Biak on JV, who has cheered for Perry for only two years feels this way all the time. “Cheer is so fun, I love the bond with all the girls and getting to see them every week,” Biak said. Biak is not the only cheerleader that has that type of joy.
Eva Vance, a freshman on JV, loves being in the cheer environment with her team especially. “I really love to cheer, the team is like my second family. I am always with them and we all always work hard together to get things done” Vance said.
