Dear Editor:
 
   It was sad to see the apparent lack of interest shown by the TAMUK “cheerleaders” at the last home basketball contest.  
   Given their performance at this game, and at pretty much every football and basketball game I have attended to date, I am calling for the University to disband the cheerleading squad and replace them with a group who will more enthusiastically support our school’s athletic and other programs.
   Cheerleaders are supposed to bring energy and school spirit to the games, and should help whip the crowd into a frenzy; they are a vital component of the “home-court advantage” sports pundits like to talk about so much.  
   However, as a spectator it’s hard to be spurred on to frenzied cheering by a group of gossipy girls who spend more time chatting with each other than actually cheering.  
   Even when they do cheer, half of them seem just to be going through the motions.
   Of course, that’s to be expected from a cheerleading squad that can’t even show uniformity of dress, much less some genuine school spirit.
   I ask that TAMUK look at disbanding or at least imposing sanctions on this glorified social club.  
   We need not look far for a replacement – there’s the Blue Crew, that rowdy group of sports fans who have quickly become a welcome sight at our home basketball games.  
    As for the “cheerleaders,” any money they have received from Student Service Fees should be repaid to the university and immediately refunded to the students.
     I, for one, don’t like the idea of subsidizing a group of girls whose only function seems to be playing an expensive game of dress-up.
 

Sean Cooper
Graduate Student
English Major