University of Virginia Library

Cheerleaders

Much has been changed for the better in
the past four years, but the style of
cheerleading is not one of them. University
basketball supporters have been treated to an
incredible season of pleasant surprises, but
have been subjected to the game after game
antics of an army of "State-U" cheerleaders.

Now we are not saying that we have not
enjoyed the raucous enthusiasm of the crowds
at University Hall, but we do not believe that
the cheerleaders have had much to do with
that. We haven't enjoyed the little pom-pom
dances executed in a rather unusual fashion,
nor the basketball exhibition that is inevitably
staged prior to the game by the cheerleaders
who need to assure the crowd of their athletic
prowess. University students who traveled all
the way to South Carolina, along with the
Gamecock fans had to endure the
cheerleaders' fun games before the start of the
real game there.

We are sure to be accused of snobbery, but
we still maintain that the spirited cheerleaders
of old, with their own special brand of
enthusiasm were more appealing to University
than the present group of rah-rahers. The
addition of women to the corps has, of
course, not detracted from the cheerleaders as
a whole, but their uniforms which are surely
the worst we have seen (including those
dime store hats) and their high school
bouncing around have combined to make us
groan.

Most importantly, we would like to
remind the cheerleaders to confine their
efforts to leading the crowds in cheers, not
harassing the opposing team's players (who
can forget the South Carolina game?), yelling
at the referee, or generally by staying so close
to the court that they interfere with the
business at hand.

The situation has become so tasteless that
that venerable exemplar of fine cheerleading
taste, Hugh Antrim, has declined to appear on
the basketball floor. All seriousness aside, we
call for a reform. And please, no more "Mary
Munster says, We need another drink" signs.
All old U-students must be turning over in
their graves.