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No More Stunts for Prairie View Cheerleaders

Photo credit: Prairie View A&M University Cheerleaders were replaced by a squad whose routines are less athletic and, and, some students say, less exciting.

By Dustin Daniel
Black College Wire

Prairie View A&M University President George C. Wright has banned the university's Panther cheerleaders from performing stunts and assigned a new adviser to the program.

This fall, Betty Hall, an alumna and an assistant in the university's department of student activities, took charge of a cheerleading program that had been mired in controversy since the January accident that led to a debilitating injury for student Bethany Norwood.

"Not a lot of students have shown interest in joining the squad due to [what happened] prior to my arrival here," said Hall, who has been revamping the program. "But we are trying to get training here, as well as a mini-camp."

The no-stunts policy puts in place what the university president called "safeguards." No stunts means no tumbling, no pyramid building, no flipping and no jumping of any kind.

Norwood suffered several fractures that left her paralyzed when her squad tossed her into the air and failed to catch her. At the time of the accident, the squad was unsupervised.

Cheerleading was suspended while the university investigated. Then, when the program resumed this fall and Wright announced the no-stunts policy, the cheerleaders quit. They said the policy change would prevent them from performing the type of acrobatics considered imperative for winning competitions. For example, participants have been graded on stunts and tumbling, among other things, during the Black College National Championship, in which the Prairie View squad once earned a second-place trophy.

For the fans attending Panther football games, the policy change is immediately evident. The cheerleaders were replaced by a squad whose routines are less athletic and, some students say, less exciting. Its members yell, "Go team," raise their arms and clap their hands. Some fans say that without acrobatic feats, the cheerleading is less eye-catching.

Hall has a master's degree in guidance counseling. She is also a former member of the Black Fox dance team, which performs at every halftime performance of Prairie View football games. She said she has confidence in the new cheerleaders. "They've been practicing very hard and they'll continue to practice, as they are getting in good shape," she said.

The new policy might keep their feet on the ground, but the basic requirements for being cheerleaders are the same as before, Hall said. They must have a grade-point average of at least 2.5; be at least a sophomore and in good standing with the university; and have a good smile and a good personality, she said.

Dustin Daniel, a student at Prairie View A&M University, is a staff writer for The Panther.

Posted Nov. 15, 2004