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Nov. 23, 2002
Disappointing finish for Blair cheerleading
During the Division II cheerleading competition, the Blair cheerleaders violated a safety rule. According to sponsor, Roxaane Fus the infraction caused them to place last in the competition.
Coach Roxanne Fus attributed Blair’s loss to both the violation and lack of preparation. "We needed to start earlier to perfect the stunts," said Fus. Although the first stunt was shaky and the team was unable to lift a member, they managed to pull together in the end. They carried out the final and most difficult stunt in their routine flawlessly. "It was the first time ever we had nailed the last stunt.," said Fus.
Usually squads attend reviews, in which the teams are informed of any safety violations in their performance. Blair was not prepared for the review two weeks earlier. According to Fus, the violation occurred when there was not a spotter for one of the stunts. This violation cost them 25 points.
Scoring is divided into four main parts: fundamental skills, choreography, routine execution, and overall effect. There are five possible violations for teams, safety infractions being the category with the greatest point penalty. The first infraction costs a team 25 points and each violation after costs them only 5 points. All other violations are 5 points, with the exception of appearance, which is 2 points.
Seven schools attended the Division II competition. Watkins Mill High School won both the spirit award and first place. Kennedy High School placed second, and Blair rival Springbrook High School received third. Blake, Einstein, and Quince Orchard high schools also performed.
Despite the violation, Fus was proud of the effort and performance from the cheerleaders. "I think the girls did really well. I think that competition shows that [cheerleading] is hard work. It shows that they really are athletes," said Fus.
Coach Roxanne Fus attributed Blair’s loss to both the violation and lack of preparation. "We needed to start earlier to perfect the stunts," said Fus. Although the first stunt was shaky and the team was unable to lift a member, they managed to pull together in the end. They carried out the final and most difficult stunt in their routine flawlessly. "It was the first time ever we had nailed the last stunt.," said Fus.
Usually squads attend reviews, in which the teams are informed of any safety violations in their performance. Blair was not prepared for the review two weeks earlier. According to Fus, the violation occurred when there was not a spotter for one of the stunts. This violation cost them 25 points.
Scoring is divided into four main parts: fundamental skills, choreography, routine execution, and overall effect. There are five possible violations for teams, safety infractions being the category with the greatest point penalty. The first infraction costs a team 25 points and each violation after costs them only 5 points. All other violations are 5 points, with the exception of appearance, which is 2 points.
Seven schools attended the Division II competition. Watkins Mill High School won both the spirit award and first place. Kennedy High School placed second, and Blair rival Springbrook High School received third. Blake, Einstein, and Quince Orchard high schools also performed.
Despite the violation, Fus was proud of the effort and performance from the cheerleaders. "I think the girls did really well. I think that competition shows that [cheerleading] is hard work. It shows that they really are athletes," said Fus.
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But that's just the kind of obstacle we've had to overcome; losing girls to grades and injury forced me to redesign the routine time and time again, even in practice. So what we came up with in the end was the result of a mammoth amount of effort, patience, and dedication.
Big thanks to Amber for writing and designing the cheer, Shewit and Anylem for picking up the routine, and props to Mercedes for sucking up her pain and sticking our end stunt!
We hadn't even learned the first stunt by safety review much less the rest of the routine. If the split stunt was added last minute, that's news to me; no one had any idea what that stunt looked like until days after the flyer's injury. We had never practiced that stunt before compeition, not even in practice. Thank goodness for that because we would have lost even more points if more than one stunt group had actually pulled it off.
Pride should have been swallowed and easier stunts, stunts that we could do, should have been substituted. You started teaching the routine too late and the cheerleading squad suffered the consequences for it. Our timing was off, our stunts were shaky, and we were accordingly dealt last.
To the rest of the cheerleaders: Congratulations. If the competition was based on effort and dedication you would have stolent the show. Amidst shabby captain leadership, all the screaming, and a bit of bad luck you proved yourselves worthy cheerleaders, not to mention above average human beings.
And last reason why I think they suck is because they just put anybody on the squad who looks pretty, because I tired out my freshmen and junior and didn't make it and some of the people who I tired out with couldn't even do some of the jumps, but they made the squad and I did't because I think the reason why I did not make is because I was not pretty.
Then watch cheerleading on ESPN.
We'll never get to that level because we're not strong enough. Ronia hurt her ankle because we weren't strong enough or skilled enough to get a simple liberty. We've been stunting since last May and there are still flyers who can't even stick a first floor. So stop trying to blame everyone else for OUR failure. If you wanted to win competition, you should have started cheering when you were six like Watkins Mill girls instead of being an unexperienced freshman or whatever on a varsity squad.
i agree there were some problems, but don't you think the cheerleaders are feeling bad about that? they of anyone would know what they could have improved more than anyone else. and don--who are you to say they embarass blair? do u attend blair? not if you're a former student you dont, so how about you let blair's blazers talk for themselves. the blair cheerleaders have lots of areas that could use improvement, but it doesnt make sense for people to say how they should have done something differently if they werent a part of it. as for the cheerleaders themselves, you guys put tons of effort into this competition, and while you came in last you all made me proud because you did your best!
i love and miss cheering with all of you!