Are cheerleaders essential to the game?

Bare.bones essential to a game - players. You can call your own fouls and violations like you have done in pick up games and often in practice.

Referee's- I'd put them 2nd in importance.

Coach. Just one coach.

Those are the three essential people needed for a game.
 
Cheerleaders have been around the sport a loooooooong time. Here are some other extra items that who knows if they are. "essential": 3 asst coaches, water boys, away book, concessions, accouncers. But, all those sure create the atmosphere of the game and cheerleaders are at the top of the list.

Lets try and get more students involved wherever possible in our sports in whatever role that allows students to feel a part of the awesome friday evenings.
Just curious, how old are you? Water boys? lol
 
Bare.bones essential to a game - players. You can call your own fouls and violations like you have done in pick up games and often in practice.

Referee's- I'd put them 2nd in importance.

Coach. Just one coach.

Those are the three essential people needed for a game.
After that I'd do in order of importance.

Clock
Book
2nd assistant
.
.
.
.
.
.
Would you not put cheerleaders here? Again, not essential, but is anything after this of any essential importance? From this point the argument changes from "what do you need to have to play the game", to "what would you like to have to enjoy the game"
 
After that I'd do in order of importance.

Clock
Book
2nd assistant
.
.
.
.
.
.
Would you not put cheerleaders here? Again, not essential, but is anything after this of any essential importance? From this point the argument changes from "what do you need to have to play the game", to "what would you like to have to enjoy the game"

In my enjoyment I would go with a concession stand over cheerleaders. Yes, this last season we went without both....and no popcorn and drink was more aggravating than no cheerleaders
 
If some of you had a daughter, you might understand and I don’t They’d rather do competition, but they have a following at most schools and are very dedicated !!!
I have some of both genders, and a wife. Wife is rather opposed to cheerleading, so much so that she will not root for an NFL team that has cheerleaders.

I enjoy the atmosphere cheerleaders create. One cheer squad has 6-8 girls on it who can all do a backflip with no hands . That's pretty cool and takes much training I'm sure.

Nothing hypes fans more than the Pop Rocks ( young kids from Troy who jump rope at a very high level) performing at halftime which is all about atmosphere and zero about essential game.
Personally, I enjoy a good pep band especially when it is a close conference game at home and the band is situated directly behind the visitors bench blasting away during a timeout. Homecourt advantage!

I enjoy all of these things that add to the atmosphere, including a great announcer. But, when they said only essential personal and 4 family members of the players would be allowed at the games I was surprised they had cheerleaders at those games.

Spring and summer games feature the bare bones essentials of a game. No band, no cheerleaders, no announcer. Simply coaches, clock, book, officials and players.
 
In my enjoyment I would go with a concession stand over cheerleaders. Yes, this last season we went without both....and no popcorn and drink was more aggravating than no cheerleaders
How did a MAC school loose those two things? Remodeling?
 
I think for these games they should be imperative to bring some atmosphere to the games!

Speaking of cheerleaders........do your schools cheerleaders go through the post game handshakes with opponents with the teams?
I dont know why it annoys me!
Haha, this drives me nuts, especially after a loss, I just want to get back to the locker room, only to find out after shaking the coaches hand, there is a line of cheerleaders right behind him. And, no our cheerleaders do not do this.
 
It does not matter now, but to all of the 13-18 boys playing and watching it matters.
I have coached and officiated in the past for a total of 20 years. I have never heard on comment from a player or coach during a game in respect to a cheerleader or cheer team. I am 100% convinced that if schools canceled cheerleaders at football and basketball games, the results would be the same. Now that means no disrespect to cheerleaders. It was a simple answer to a question and a response to a statement.
 
Avoice just claims the MAC when its teams win titles. Jocksniffer;)
Good one!
Was a resident of MAC country (and still have family participating in MAC sports/schools for at least the next 16 years) for my first 45 years!
 
I have coached and officiated in the past for a total of 20 years. I have never heard on comment from a player or coach during a game in respect to a cheerleader or cheer team. I am 100% convinced that if schools canceled cheerleaders at football and basketball games, the results would be the same. Now that means no disrespect to cheerleaders. It was a simple answer to a question and a response to a statement.
I am just simply stating that teenage boys notice and appreciate the cheerleaders.
 
This. From a school and student standpoint, they are part of the team, just not officially necessary for the game. Anything the players get, the cheerleaders should get. Whenever shirts get made for conference championships, our Booster Club contributes $X per t-shirt both for players and cheerleaders. Again, doesn't mean they are necessary or have even the slightest impact on the game, but they are still "part of it."
From our school, student, & booster standpoint the cheerleaders are not part of the team.
 
I am just simply stating that teenage boys notice and appreciate the cheerleaders.
Not as much as you may think. Things have really changed a lot over the 10-15 years. I would not at all be surprised if you asked the players on a team for every cheerleader's name, they couldn't do it.
 
I don't know about essential, or them being a part of the team, but Cheerleading is a varsity sport and cheering at these contests is a part of their athletic careers.

So yeah, if the boys get to play, why shouldn't the girls get to cheer?
 
As a mom who has had a daughter cheer (as well as play other sports) and sons who played football/basketball- imho cheerleaders are not essential in these circumstances. I thought it was ridiculous they had them and their parents in the gym when they limited spectators.
 
As a mom who has had a daughter cheer (as well as play other sports) and sons who played football/basketball- imho cheerleaders are not essential in these circumstances. I thought it was ridiculous they had them and their parents in the gym when they limited spectators.
"Not essential in THESE CIRCUMSTANCES ". Very well stated.
 
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