Junior High

The junior high Eagle cheerleaders were a close knit group and they share many memories. (Photo provided)

Sixth, seventh-graders get taste of cheerleading

By Megan Bowers

March 13, 2005

“2, 4, 6, 8, here we go big Lake!”

Cheers similar to this one can be heard resonating through the high school gym on Friday as girls in grades sixth through 11th try out for the cheerleading and pom squads. For sixth and seventh-grade girls, this is their first real taste of cheerleading and what it will be like in high school.

Junior high cheerleading sponsor Trish Backman believes that girls should try out for numerous reasons.

“I think that junior high cheerleading is important for several reasons. One reason is for the girls wanting to try out for high school cheerleading because it is a great way to develop the basics and the fundamentals of the sport.

“It is also very important for the girls to understand that it takes a lot of strength and time commitment, and when you get to do it as a junior high cheerleader, you get a little glimpse of what it’s like to be a high school cheerleader in front of a bigger crowd, and I think that it is very important for the girls to have the physical activity,” Backman stated.

The current junior high squad has seen changes in their dance style this year.

This year, the squad learned many new cheering skills. (Photo provided)

“Last year we went a more competitive cheer route, and this year we went with a more drill team/pom route with our dance style. So, instead of doing more of the competitive type dance, I had some of the pom girls come and teach a couple dances to our girls so they could learn moves and they could be more developed for this year’s tryouts,” Backman said.

This year there has also been a change in the way the girls are notified about tryout results. After the scores are tallied, Backman will call all of the girls who tried out and read them a statement saying either, “You have made the squad, thank you for participating in this year’s tryouts,” or “You did not make the squad for this year, but we encourage you to try again next year. Thanks for participating in this year’s tryouts.”

Backman said she changed the way the notifications are made because it is the first time girls have to be told they didn’t make the squad.

“I think that that age is a tender age, and it is the first time where the girls try out, and they have to be cut from something. Different people handle it different ways, and I think it is important to be able to handle that in the privacy of their home with their parents or whoever they are going to have as a support group around them when they get the news. That way we don’t have hurt feelings and people can still maintain their integrity,” Backman replied.

Junior high cheerleading involves more than just cheerleading, such as working the concession stand and summer car wash, performing at junior high sport games, and attending high school pom and cheer camps. One special event for the girls is the end-of–the-year banquet.

On March 1, this year’s squad held their second annual banquet. The seventh-grade girls put on a dinner at Backman’s for the eighth-grade girls to show their appreciation.