The varsity cheer team is the epitome of spirit, but why just for football? Out of the school’s 43 sports teams, why is it that the cheerleaders only cheer for that one sport?
According to head coach of varsity cheer Taylor Ohrwashel, tradition plays a major role in this decision.
“Football has always been associated with cheerleading. I am from Pennsylvania and in that state as well, the cheerleaders only cheer for football during the fall,” Ohrwashel said.
Brianna Schatz and Annie Cowman, however, both seniors and the captains of the team, showed interest in cheering for other sports.
“I think basketball would be a lot of fun, because it would be so exciting, and I feel like that’s the other big sport that people at our school enjoy,” Cowman said.
However, there are some safety hazards. Due to minimal space, the team would have to stand behind the basket to cheer, and if a player missed a shot or a pass, the cheerleaders would have to jump out of the way to avoid impact.
Before the team can even consider safety, there has to be enough students on the winter team, as many cheerleaders participate as a player or a manager in other sports during the winter and spring seasons. With an already packed schedule, prospective cheerleaders might not want to commit to cheer over basketball if it meant another season and giving up an activity they were already committed to.
“I play lacrosse and I’m planning on playing it later in the spring, so if cheer were to expand, I wouldn’t be able to do it,” freshman and varsity cheerleader Emma Sahlgren said.
Fairfax County Public Schools used to have winter cheer for basketball, until it was cut from the budget a few years back.
“We had winter cheer up to a few years ago and the team cheered at home girls and boys basketball and wrestling,” director of student activities Joseph Swarm said. “It was strictly sideline cheer and as the budget got tight, it was removed as an offered sport in Fairfax County.”
Despite some students’ intrigue towards extending the seasons and cheering for other teams, there are many budget and time conflicts. But the cheerleaders remain enthusiastic for the team they cheer on at every Friday football game.
“Football and cheerleading just mesh well together,” Schatz concluded.