2008 Woodie Awards
Cheerleaders provide spirit for football team
By Amanda Rossey
Rocket Contributor
Issue date: 9/28/07 Section: Focus
R - O - C - K,
R - O - C - K
R - O - C - K,
ROCK, ROCK, ROCK, ROCK!
Situated between the football team and the fans in the stands, the SRU co-ed cheerleading squad screams, stunts and gets the crowd pumped for the games.
Coached by Gemma Fotia, who is now in her 15th year of coaching at SRU, the cheerleading squad is made up of both male and female cheerleaders.
Fotia said she bases the number of females on how strong the males are.
This year, the cheerleading season started with the squad going to Scranton, Pa., where the cheerleaders voted to go to summer camp.
While at camp, the team spent four days and three nights learning new stunts and pyramid formations.
"Going to the camps is the safest way of learning new stunts," Fotia said.
Now back at the Rock, the squad practices Monday though Friday for two hours a day, attending nearly all SRU football games.
Though their presence at the football games is always known, the team does more than simply get the crowd pumped. They are also nationally recognized on their own and do all they can to make sure their presence is also felt at nationals each January.
To continue preparing for nationals after the semester ends, the squad practices during winter break, three times a day for two hours every day. During these practices, they practice the routine cheer and a cheer to music, both of which they will perform at nationals in Florida.
Last year, the team got second place, missing first place by 13 points because they had a fall.
"This year we always say 'only 13 points to first place,'" said Nicole Kerr, 21, a senior special education and elementary education double major.
Kerr is in her fourth and final year on the squad.
Though her cheering career may be close to over, Kerr has been cheering for far longer than just her four years at SRU.
She said she has been a cheerleader since fourth grade and that she started when her mom got her into it.
R - O - C - K
R - O - C - K,
ROCK, ROCK, ROCK, ROCK!
Situated between the football team and the fans in the stands, the SRU co-ed cheerleading squad screams, stunts and gets the crowd pumped for the games.
Coached by Gemma Fotia, who is now in her 15th year of coaching at SRU, the cheerleading squad is made up of both male and female cheerleaders.
Fotia said she bases the number of females on how strong the males are.
This year, the cheerleading season started with the squad going to Scranton, Pa., where the cheerleaders voted to go to summer camp.
While at camp, the team spent four days and three nights learning new stunts and pyramid formations.
"Going to the camps is the safest way of learning new stunts," Fotia said.
Now back at the Rock, the squad practices Monday though Friday for two hours a day, attending nearly all SRU football games.
Though their presence at the football games is always known, the team does more than simply get the crowd pumped. They are also nationally recognized on their own and do all they can to make sure their presence is also felt at nationals each January.
To continue preparing for nationals after the semester ends, the squad practices during winter break, three times a day for two hours every day. During these practices, they practice the routine cheer and a cheer to music, both of which they will perform at nationals in Florida.
Last year, the team got second place, missing first place by 13 points because they had a fall.
"This year we always say 'only 13 points to first place,'" said Nicole Kerr, 21, a senior special education and elementary education double major.
Kerr is in her fourth and final year on the squad.
Though her cheering career may be close to over, Kerr has been cheering for far longer than just her four years at SRU.
She said she has been a cheerleader since fourth grade and that she started when her mom got her into it.
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