by Abby Koch–The Morningside cheer and dance teams have been there at the sidelines of every home football game. Along with watching the football team play, the cheer and dance teams are crucial in leading the crowd.
“I feel like we bring a lot of energy to the games. Without us, not a lot of cheering would be started,” said senior dancer Alison Wright “And just when in my performances, I need people cheering for me. So having people cheering for you is huge and helping to motivate you to win.”
The teams have certain uniform they are required to wear and to act a certain way. Both teams act in a way that engages the crowd, like smiling and when to start certain cheers.
Before football season started, cheer and dance prepped their own routines to engage the crowd or when the band plays. Senior cheerleader Sami Rosa explained that the cheerleaders would practice gameday cheers, stunts, and the fight song routine for their entire practice early in the year.
Getting in front of the football Mustang crowd to cheer takes time for some to get use to, like for Wright. “When I was a freshman, I about peed myself. I was so scared because it is a lot of people,” explained Wright “Now that I’m a senior, I know enough people to where I find friendly faces in the crowd. Then it turns fun because you can make eye contact with them you know they’re going to wave or smile at you.”
Both teams know the affect they have over the crowd during games. “When they’re watching us, we’re excited. We’re pumped up and it gets them pumped which you build on to that,” said Rosa.
Cheer and dance made an appearance at the national game in Grambling, Louisianna, to cheer the football team for one last time this season. Before the football team lifted the champions trophy, the cheer and dance team made sure to lift the spirit of crowd to a winning attitude.
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