Miami University Cheerleaders 'Just As Athletic' As Team Members

BY CHASE ENGEL
Miami University journalism student

Fall athletes at Miami University gather in the Farmer’s School of Business for their annual ceremony where coaches and student leaders reflect on the past season. Football players rub shoulders with cross country runners, volleyball players sit across from members of the soccer and field hockey teams.

Almost every athlete there is on scholarship, brought to the university at with financial support for their athletic prowess. Except in the very back of Taylor Auditorium, there sits a quiet group of three students. They politely clap along to the recipients of awards, and listen intently to speakers. They are careful not to step into the limelight.

“I’m sure they hear enough of us at games,” says senior Kylie Shambaugh.

Shambaugh and the rest of her group wait for their recognition as the senior members of the Miami University cheerleaders.

Much time and effort

A vocal yet often underappreciated part of a Miami gameday experience, the general public don’t realize how much time and effort goes into routines.

First-year head cheer coach, Jerel Stewart, says that this squad can keep up with anyone. “What we’re doing on the sideline can be just as athletic as what’s happening on the field or court at times.”

Six football games. Thirteen men’s basketball games. Fifteen women’s basketball games. With generous estimations for game length, that’s 75.5 hours. This doesn’t include any postseason play, overtime, or special appearances such as the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Volleyball tournament held at Millett Hall. Then you add the three-hour practices three times a week.

“In my spare time, I have to go to the gym to stay in shape,” says cheerleader Saifoulaye “Sofa” Bah. “It’s so demanding, but worth it.”

“We don’t just shake our pom-poms,” says Shambaugh.

Although cheerleaders do not receive aid like scholarships, their uniforms, travel expenses, and Adidas-brand gear come as perks.

In order to be a cheerleader, you have to have an intense background in tumbling and stunting. Tumbling is another form of gymnastics. That’s where the flips, back tucks and back handsprings come in. In stunting, men throw the women into the air, women then balance their feet on the male partner's palm or fall into his arms.

Shambaugh partnered with fellow cheerleader Trevor Hayes during their freshman year, and have been doing stunts together ever since. “Hopefully I’ve built some trust with her after throwing her in the air a hundred times,” says Hayes.

Students make it fun

Angie Redlinger, associate director of marketing and fan engagement, helps with the production of gameday entertainment, determining where and when cheer routines take place, organizing jumbo screen promotions, etc.

“Everything on the schedule is extraordinarily detailed, minute-by-minute” says Redlinger. “Even though it’s hectic, the students make it a lot fun.”

But while the student athletes and cheerleaders put their bodies on the lines, the university lacks in attracting the student body to games.

According to a NCAA report, Miami’s average attendance for a men’s basketball game last year was about half of an average MAC game. Over the course of the 2016-17 season, 26,823 people attended a men’s basketball game at Miami. That’s 1,490 a game.

Work for crowd

This can affect the squad’s routines, but actually for the better. “[Performing] does get hard when you have low numbers,” says Shambaugh. “But it actually makes us want to be better, and makes us work harder to get people to the games.”

And the hard work comes to fruition at the aforementioned end-of-the-year ceremony. This night, Shambaugh, Hayes and Bah accept lettermen jackets on behalf of the university.

The three cheerleaders stand as equals with the athletes, clad in red and white faux leather.

“It’s been a long and great four years, so being able to see what we’ve achieved is great,” says Shambaugh.

This story was produced for a Miami University broadcast journalism class.