OT: Trimming the Fat

[TheBand]

From the UNEWS

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All-girls spirit team to replace cheer and dance teams

No room for the men

By: Adam Tamburin

Posted: 3/28/08

In Chaifetz Arena, the only men performing on the court will have balls in their hands.

The Athletic Department recently announced plans to merge the dance and cheerleading teams into a spirit team that will entertain spectators at athletic events-without the men on the cheerleading squad.

"We are going to an all-girls format [next year], and I'm calling it my power team," said Casey Faye Mills, the spirit team's coach, who is in her eighth year coaching at Saint Louis University.

"It's going to be a group of girls who are skilled in dance and all areas of cheering," she said about the team, which will combine elements of dance and cheerleading.

Mills said that officials within the Athletic Department have been "thinking about this for years," and saw the impending opening of Chaifetz Arena as an ideal time to begin the revamped program.

While men will not be included in next year's spirit team, Mills remained open to the possibility of returning to some sort of co-ed format in the future.

"I love [the men on the team]," said Mills. "They have always offered good things to the program."

One benefit of merging the teams and cutting the amount of women who are able to participate to a maximum of 20, Mills said, is that every member of the team will have a partial athletic scholarship.

Kosha Irby, associate director of the Athletic Department, cited safety during dangerous stunts as an issue that motivated the move from a co-ed team to a women's team, as men must be highly trained to effectively fulfill their duties.

"We're not recruiting the top caliber [of men]," Irby said. "We don't have a surefire base [of men to draw from]."

Irby said that bringing the talents of the dance team and the cheerleading squad together as a spirit team would "improve the quality and experience of both teams."

Junior Jermaine Duffis, a cheerleader this year, said that he first learned of the new spirit team during a tournament in mid-March.

"It was an out-of-the blue thing," Duffis said.

While Duffis said he was upset for men who would not have the opportunity to participate in the spirit team in future years, he said that he had more sympathy for women, who would have to quickly learn unfamiliar skills and abandon established ones. He said that dancing and cheerleading require different sets of skills.

Duffis said that he feels merging the two separate sports is "a step backward" that will leave "a dent in our athletic program."

Maggie Grindler, a junior with three years of experience on the dance team, said she was notified of the merger by an e-mail from Mills on March 10.

Grindler shares Duffis' concern that the spirit team will fail to showcase the extent of its members' talents.

"The skill level was lowered for dancers," she said. "It's not going to be much of a dance team."

Grindler also said that it was challenging for dancers to learn certain elements of cheerleading: "Most of the dancers I know can't tumble."

Mills said that she is offering any interested women the chance to train in anticipation for tryouts. Training will take place on Mondays from 6 to 7:15 p.m. at West Pine Gym until tryouts are held on April 4.

"I offered to do that … to help people feel more confident," Mills said.

http://www.unewsonline.com/home/index.cfm?...2a-53b635a7edfc

[Box and Won]

My calls, letters, e-mails, telegrams, smoke signals and sheet signs have finally been answered.

[billiken_roy]

can we still call them the baby blues?

[TheBand]

Now, Roy... You know the name "Baby Blues" is offensive. I hope we don't have to put you on suspension for mentioning the name that must not be mentioned.

[jimbofive]

can we still call them the baby blues?

Categorically, yes. I was just telling someone today that SLU needs to de-chumpatize their cheer squad. This is a good step, I think. Plus I get sick of that loud-mouthed floozy who's always yelling TWIIIIIINKS!!!!!! (the huge, 25-year-old cheerleader who might have finally graduated this year, which is Van Wilderish in its scope) at the top of her damn lungs from section 120. We get it, you got mindnumbingly drunk one night and he bodyslammed you like Lattimer. So now you're soulmates at the basketball games. Except he never, ever acknowledges you.

[NashvilleBilliken]

Is this seriously the opening line to the article??

"In Chaifetz Arena, the only men performing on the court will have balls in their hands."

:lol:

[Box and Won]

Categorically, yes. I was just telling someone today that SLU needs to de-chumpatize their cheer squad. This is a good step, I think. Plus I get sick of that loud-mouthed floozy who's always yelling TWIIIIIINKS!!!!!! (the huge, 25-year-old cheerleader who might have finally graduated this year, which is Van Wilderish in its scope) at the top of her damn lungs from section 120. We get it, you got mindnumbingly drunk one night and he bodyslammed you like Lattimer. So now you're soulmates at the basketball games. Except he never, ever acknowledges you.

God, I hate that chick. My wife even yelled at her to STFU once.

[bonwich]

Ya know, next week is April 1. You don't suppose the U. News is getting subtle in its old age, do you?

[Dungeon Yankee]

Is SLU opening itself up for a sex discrimination lawsuit? What if they decided to go with all male cheerleaders? Just thinking out loud.

[kevinfootes]

From the UNEWS

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All-girls spirit team to replace cheer and dance teams

No room for the men

By: Adam Tamburin

Posted: 3/28/08

In Chaifetz Arena, the only men performing on the court will have balls in their hands.

The Athletic Department recently announced plans to merge the dance and cheerleading teams into a spirit team that will entertain spectators at athletic events-without the men on the cheerleading squad.

"We are going to an all-girls format [next year], and I'm calling it my power team," said Casey Faye Mills, the spirit team's coach, who is in her eighth year coaching at Saint Louis University.

"It's going to be a group of girls who are skilled in dance and all areas of cheering," she said about the team, which will combine elements of dance and cheerleading.

Mills said that officials within the Athletic Department have been "thinking about this for years," and saw the impending opening of Chaifetz Arena as an ideal time to begin the revamped program.

While men will not be included in next year's spirit team, Mills remained open to the possibility of returning to some sort of co-ed format in the future.

"I love [the men on the team]," said Mills. "They have always offered good things to the program."

One benefit of merging the teams and cutting the amount of women who are able to participate to a maximum of 20, Mills said, is that every member of the team will have a partial athletic scholarship.

Kosha Irby, associate director of the Athletic Department, cited safety during dangerous stunts as an issue that motivated the move from a co-ed team to a women's team, as men must be highly trained to effectively fulfill their duties.

"We're not recruiting the top caliber [of men]," Irby said. "We don't have a surefire base [of men to draw from]."

Irby said that bringing the talents of the dance team and the cheerleading squad together as a spirit team would "improve the quality and experience of both teams."

Junior Jermaine Duffis, a cheerleader this year, said that he first learned of the new spirit team during a tournament in mid-March.

"It was an out-of-the blue thing," Duffis said.

While Duffis said he was upset for men who would not have the opportunity to participate in the spirit team in future years, he said that he had more sympathy for women, who would have to quickly learn unfamiliar skills and abandon established ones. He said that dancing and cheerleading require different sets of skills.

Duffis said that he feels merging the two separate sports is "a step backward" that will leave "a dent in our athletic program."

Maggie Grindler, a junior with three years of experience on the dance team, said she was notified of the merger by an e-mail from Mills on March 10.

Grindler shares Duffis' concern that the spirit team will fail to showcase the extent of its members' talents.

"The skill level was lowered for dancers," she said. "It's not going to be much of a dance team."

Grindler also said that it was challenging for dancers to learn certain elements of cheerleading: "Most of the dancers I know can't tumble."

Mills said that she is offering any interested women the chance to train in anticipation for tryouts. Training will take place on Mondays from 6 to 7:15 p.m. at West Pine Gym until tryouts are held on April 4.

"I offered to do that … to help people feel more confident," Mills said.

http://www.unewsonline.com/home/index.cfm?...2a-53b635a7edfc

Leave it to Biondi...you have to start making up RM's salary somwhow. They probably had to cut back on the amount of artwork purchased this year.

[dewey33]

Leave it to Biondi...you have to start making up RM's salary somwhow. They probably had to cut back on the amount of artwork purchased this year.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

The funny thing is, if it wasn't in some sort of paper, no one would've noticed or cared!

[TheA_Bomb]

Actually quite a few of us would have noticed and cared. I am somewhat of an expert on this type of thing as my TIVO is filled with episodes of Cheerledader U and Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Squad*.

On the West Coast the teams do not have cheerleaders they have Song Girls. It is a different type of thing kind of like what this spirit squad will be. Most Catholic Universities have really bad cheerleading. SLU is not in a good location to attract the top cheerleading talent. The best cheerleading school in the country is UK and UCF is pretty good too. So the article is right about not being able to attract the best talented male cheerleaders as those are probably some of the hardest spots to fill but the male role is not as intensive as the female role.

Anyway, I know at least one former Baby Blue that probably won't be happy with this change. The article is right dancing and cheerleading has different skill sets. Some of you may have noticed the different body types cheerleaders usually more of a gymnast build and dancers should be longer and leaner. SLU's dancing has been bad and cheerleading has been ok and it is mostly due to coaching or so I am told. I do believe that as the dance routines have been really bad. Now we will have one squad that is bad instead of two.

I think it is funny that they say they value the male cheerleaders so much as they are cutting them.

I guess I do actually listen when my wife is talking (sometimes). I'm surprised I knew so much.

*my wife TIVOs this not me

[TheA_Bomb]

This addendum to my post is based on input from subject matter experts:

1. Casey Faye Mills is the dance team coach and she should be fired. Her routines are terrible and the uniform choices are bad.

2. There is much better dance team coaching talent in the STL area. Francis Howell North, Pattonville, Lindbergh and even Lidenwood have better coaches than SLU.

So there it is. If you guys want to start a FIRE CASEY MILLS campaign with me just PM me.

[brianstl]

Leave it to Biondi...you have to start making up RM's salary somwhow. They probably had to cut back on the amount of artwork purchased this year.

If true, how is this making up for RM salary? All members of the team will at least receive a partial scholarship.

I do wonder if this is BS as Bonwich said. They have quotes from a guy cheerleader named Duffis (Doofis?) in the article.

[Billiken Law]

If true, how is this making up for RM salary? All members of the team will at least receive a partial scholarship.

I do wonder if this is BS as Bonwich said. They have quotes from a guy cheerleader named Duffis (Doofis?) in the article.

Every April 1 (or at least for the issue immediately before April 1 is one doesn't come out that day) the UNews runs an April Fools, satire issue. This has to be it. SLU doesn't fully fund the sports they have, there is no way cheerleaders are going to get scholarships.

[TheA_Bomb]

Did you hear that from your brother's ex-roomate's girlfriend's leg waxer that just happens to be the AD's daughter?

That shows how much you know. Some cheerleaders get partial scholarships. Baby Blues do not.

[kevinfootes]

If true, how is this making up for RM salary? All members of the team will at least receive a partial scholarship.

I do wonder if this is BS as Bonwich said. They have quotes from a guy cheerleader named Duffis (Doofis?) in the article.

It's kind of a joke, Brian.

[Taj79]

Catholic school cheerleaders? Catholic school dance teams? When we used to go to the conference tournaments, a familiar refrain would ring out at each time out. The refrain was barely audible at first, but would grow exponentially as the amount of malt and hop beverages were consumed. Until finally it would ring out as the sole voice of obvious reason (and I know the guy doing it):

"Yeah, patsey white women!"

This was quickly and soundly defeated when the Carmen Electra look-alikes from Cincinnati, Memphis, Louisville and even Charlotte would appear. Those young ladies dominated the all-conference teams (elected by us chauvenistic mimbos) for near ten years running. Its about the only things we pine for in our current days of the A10.

Side note: having daughters the same age as the dance team effectively ends your leering and lecherous days. Now, when I sit in the nursing home with a smile on my face, even my attendants know where mentally I am.

[TEE]

"The Billiken Dance Team" and I use that term loosely, needs to be cut to 8 girls with a weight limit of 125lbs to 130lbs a girl, restrictions on how much tanning they are allowed to partcipate in, and yes hire an actual "coach." OR get rid of the dance team all together: a mix of over tanned fat, a few skinny, uncoordinated girls rolling around on the floor needs to be retired.

[Billiken Rich]

"The Billiken Dance Team" and I use that term loosely, needs to be cut to 8 girls with a weight limit of 125lbs to 130lbs a girl, restrictions on how much tanning they are allowed to partcipate in, and yes hire an actual "coach." OR get rid of the dance team all together: a mix of over tanned fat, a few skinny, uncoordinated girls rolling around on the floor needs to be retired.

Hey but some us us like back fat, and Hillary haircuts, and massive over tanning................

I agree quality over quantity.......

[brianstl]

It's kind of a joke, Brian.

Should have picked that up. I had a couple of drinks in me last night.

[TheA_Bomb]

"The Billiken Dance Team" and I use that term loosely, needs to be cut to 8 girls with a weight limit of 125lbs to 130lbs a girl, restrictions on how much tanning they are allowed to partcipate in, and yes hire an actual "coach." OR get rid of the dance team all together: a mix of over tanned fat, a few skinny, uncoordinated girls rolling around on the floor needs to be retired.

Not to be too harsh but 125 to 130 is ok if they are 6'1 otherwise they need to be about 100. You're right all the best teams have certain standards. Got to be able to fit in the uniform. I am anti extreme fakin' bakin' (sorry Alumni Fan).

[billikenfan05]

This addendum to my post is based on input from subject matter experts:

1. Casey Faye Mills is the dance team coach and she should be fired. Her routines are terrible and the uniform choices are bad.

2. There is much better dance team coaching talent in the STL area. Francis Howell North, Pattonville, Lindbergh and even Lidenwood have better coaches than SLU.

So there it is. If you guys want to start a FIRE CASEY MILLS campaign with me just PM me.

Francis howell North is my old high school and the "Knightline" is excellent and so is their coach

[redbirdfan]

Francis howell North is my old high school and the "Knightline" is excellent and so is their coach

So can anybody answer this question??? what is or how much is a partial athletic scholarship or any guesses for this new dance/cheer team?

[Parks 68]

So can anybody answer this question??? what is or how much is a partial athletic scholarship or any guesses for this new dance/cheer team?

Partial scholarships is a joke. The extent of scholarship money is a new pair of shoes (that might not fit cause the coach didn't order the right size) and a uniform with Bow. Big deal.

I agree that they should get rid of Mills. Her experience is limited (very limited) to dance with NO cheerleading background. She also has been known to pick her squads by the color of their hair and nothing else. What a tryout competition that is! The standards to be on the dance team would be a hoot to read. Constant tanning, hair extensions, a pooch that hangs over your waist band, those are probably good for starters.

Cheering and dance are two completely different activities/sports. Cheerleaders are in the gym constantly tumbling and stunting. Dancers change costumes and dance. There will be no tumbling or stunting with the new "all girl" Spirit Squad. You can bet that the majority of the dance team will comprise the majority of the "Spirit Squad" and the real cheerleaders will get dumped. Casey Faye is awfully fair that way. She will protect her dancers.

Getting rid of the male cheerleaders will effectively kill any real stunting as women don't have the upper body strength to control a flyer. How a woman is safer than a man as a base, escapes me.

No one ever said that Mills was a smart or talented. Many cheerleading coaches are on a power trip and she is no different. Dump Mills and keep the cheerleaders!