Nov. 19, 2008
By: Amanda Wiley
UNM Media Relations Student Assistant
They have a passion for all things Lobo, they know the words to the fight song, their favorite colors are probably Cherry and Silver, and every Saturday they have the best seat in the house.
You may think you know about the 49 athletes who make up the cheerleading squads of the University of New Mexico, but you have no idea.
At UNM, these cheerleaders are all about time management, athleticism and passion. So let’s take a look at what cheerleading is really like at UNM.
The cheerleaders know about time management. Every week they are responsible for attending practices, lifting weights and attending all home football, volleyball and basketball games.Time management, however, doesn’t just involve their participation in athletic events. “Education,” says Spirit Program Coordinator Tracy Denton, is “first and foremost.”
These student-athletes are responsible for carrying a full course load of at least 12 hours per semester and maintaining a minimum 2.5 GPA. And, although it is commonly believed that the UNM cheerleaders are scholarship athletes, they are not.The cheerleaders know about athleticism. “They definitely are athletes. They do conditioning, strength and a lot of athletic activities, and they have to have athletic ability to be a part of this activity,” says Denton.The cheerleaders practice three days a week and lift weights at least two days a week to perfect their sideline entertainment.
The pyramids, stunts, basket tosses and tumbling skills that the cheerleaders perform are not easy, but they are made to look that way.”When cheerleading is done right it should look easy, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot of hard work and time spent getting the skills that are needed for cheerleading,” says senior Madison Warren.
When you are as competitive as the UNM cheerleaders are, you have to have skills. Every January the cheerleaders compete in the College National Cheerleading Championships. “The UNM Spirit Program is actually considered to be one of the top programs in the country and anywhere you go in the cheerleading world they know our name,” says Warren.
When you think that the life of a UNM cheerleader couldn’t get much busier, they are also required to donate their time to the community, “We expect them to be a good and a positive member of their community, and be a solid representative of the university,” says Denton. The cheerleaders participate in at least 10 volunteer events and more than 25 fundraisers and appearances every year.
These cheerleaders know about passion. “I love the program itself, and being around the team and competing, I love the whole package,” says senior Dustin Truitt.When you dedicate as much time as the cheerleaders do, you have to have passion and love what you do. Warren agrees, “I was a little girl growing up in Albuquerque, looking up to the UNM cheerleaders and I take that job seriously, I wouldn’t want to cheer any place else.”