The AUMnibus

Photo by Frank Williams. AUM cheer squad: New cheers, new leaders

Christine Kneidinger/ Editor-in-Chief

The AUM gym will be filled with more spirit than ever as the biggest cheerleading squad in AUM history takes to the sidelines at next week’s home basketball game.

The 16 girl squad has been practicing three days a week since August and is prepared with new cheers, new uniforms and plenty of tricks up their sleeve to keep the crowd on their feet all season long.

The squad not only has a fresh look, but fresh faces as well, since each girl is new to the squad. While some may have doubts about having an all rookie squad, Coach Amy Leigh Ingram is very optimistic about her well-rounded group. “We have a very versatile group. We have a lot of freshman, and some transfers as well. We have some girls who have a lot of talent, and some girls who have never cheered before. Everyone is really working well together; it’s wonderful.”

Coach Ingram, in her second season as head coach, has been optimistic since tryouts last May. All 24 girls that tried out for the squad made the team.

For Ingram, having a wide range of talent was important to raise school spirit. “They may not have the best skills, but they have a voice and school spirit, which will help,” she said.

But that’s not to say the squad is lacking talent.

Co-captain Payton Spencer, a former cheerleader from Prattville, said that she is proud of the squad for coming such a long way since tryouts in May. “My stunt group has a lot of girls who had never cheered before, but now we are the best out of all four groups,” she said.

Coach Ingram said the crowd can expect to see a lot of tumbling and building from the Senator cheerleaders, along with new dances and half-time performances.

“I’m nervous, but I know we will do great the first game,” said Spencer. “We had some outside coaching this summer to learn some cheers and dances and coaching at Top Dog this semester two days a week to work on our skills, so I think we will be fine.”

Although the number has slowly dwindled down to 16 since tryouts in May, Ingram says that the spirit that the remaining 16 girls have to offer will definitely rub off on the crowd. “The crowd is going to see that there will be a lot more enthusiasm by the girls. They are really going to participate more. Because we have so many girls, we will have cheerleaders on the court and in the stands to get the crowd involved.”

The squad will also have other incentives to get the crowd pumped up during game time. They will be passing out AUM face tattoos, hand clackers and black and orange shakers to people in the stands in hopes of boosting crowd participation. 

But orange and black themed party favors aren’t the only thing the cheer squad has planned to bring in this season. They also plan to bring some orange and blue to the mix, inviting the Auburn marching band to perform the last game of the season.  

The squad has also been in contact with local high school cheerleaders and bands to invite them to participate at home games. “It gives the crowd some variety as well as give the school an opportunity to reach out to the community,” says Ingram.

The Senator cheerleaders reach out several other ways in the community. This semester, they visit the Brewbaker Junior High special needs class twice a month, where they do activities ranging from teaching them cheers and dances to painting pumpkins.

“It’s an eye opener, but those kids are so fun,” said Spencer. They will also volunteer at the Brewbaker garage sale next week as well as ring the bell for Salvation Army in December.

Their good deeds do not go unnoticed, as they were able to double their budget to $1,800 by putting on a summer camp for the Wetumpka Indians cheer squad. It is through this funding that they plan to go to competition next spring.

The new squad will make its debut Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 6 p.m. at the Lady Senators basketball  game as they play against the University of Mobile.