Area competitive cheer athletes, coaches say sport still on quest for respect

One coach put it this way.

In sideline cheerleading, the participants are trying to lift the spirits of the crowd and the players on the court or field.

In competitive cheer, the participants also lift. As in lift each other off the ground, using strength, skill and endurance to execute their routines at a high level.

That is why competitive cheer is a varsity sport, sanctioned by the Michigan High School Athletic Association.

But it's not always seen as a sport by others.

"You get that a lot. People don't see competitive cheer as a sport," Pennfield varsity coach Nicole Govier said. "But try lifting another human over your head and not call that athletic.

"My competitive cheer girls practice two or three hours a day, because we have to so we can do what we need to do. Not only do we run to gain endurance, learn skills, all the things a traditional sport would do, but, in the end, we are also lifting people and that takes strength. When it comes to sports, that takes it to a whole new level."

Govier is part of a highly successful Pennfield competitive cheer program that has qualified for the state regionals four straight years and made its first appearance at the MHSAA state finals last year, finishing eighth.

A handful of schools in the area offer competitive cheer, including Pennfield and Lakeview, as well as Gull Lake, Quincy, Maple Valley, Bronson, Delton Kellogg, Homer and Union City. Harper Creek has had a varsity in program in recent years, but is running only at the junior varsity this season.

MHSAA district tournaments for competitive cheer are set for Feb. 18, with the state finals March 4-5 in Grand Rapids.

"To make it to the state mat last year was an amazing feeling," said Govier, who was an assistant coach for that team and has since taken over as head coach of the Panthers. "That was the goal and last year's senior group had been together since the rocket level, and for them to get that far was great to see as a community member, a parent and a coach."

Despite that type of success, participants in competitive cheer still face the view by some that they are more supporters of athletics, instead of athletes.

"That comes from the fact that most people see sideline cheer at the football and basketball games and think that's all it's about and it's just fun and easy," said Lakeview coach Alycia Williams-Marshall. "Girls think that, too. They see the sideline cheer and then they come out to try out for competitive cheer and find out how difficult it is.

"Our kids practice as hard or harder than any other sport out there. The sport demands skill, strength and it takes a lot of effort and training, just like any other sport."

Growing those skills and strength to compete at a high level comes from building a program with a strong base, which is what Lakeview is focusing on.

Having a vibrant middle school program is the key, according to Williams-Marshall.

"Our thought process a few years ago was to build the middle school program, so by the time they get up here, they are ready to compete," Williams-Marshall said. "I have 18 girls on the varsity this season and 14 of them cheered for me in middle school. That's how we get better. And for us, it's not really about how many competitions we win, it's about if we are getting better. If we are adding more difficult skills as the season goes on.

"We started the year with one 12-point skill and we are working on two and want to get to the point where we have a 14-point skill — working on harder and more difficult stunts."

Lakeview has had a good start to the season, finishing in the top three at two early-season events.

Senior A'Nya Smith talks about how her team is always in search for respect.

"Cheerleading is like any other sport, and it's more complex than a lot of people think, an, maybe, harder to do than most sports," Smith said. "Say, in basketball, your point guard gets hurt. You put someone else in to play that spot and they can pretty much do that. But there are spots in competitive cheer, that if they get hurt, their role is so difficult to know and master, nobody else on the team can really do it."

And people do suffer injuries fairly often.

"One of our girls broke her arm last week. Not to be cruel, but when she fell, nobody jumped at the time, because we see that all the time," Williams-Marshall said. "Our sport is so physical, with kids throwing each other, catching each other, I can't tell you how many falls, bumps and bruises, bloody lips, bloody noses we go through.

"It just shows that if you don't have the skills and strength to do things the right way, people can get injured. That's why we practice so much, so that doesn't happen."

Competitive cheer is generally set up in three rounds, with a first traditional round of motions and jumps. There is a second round, focused on unison when it comes to a routine, and a third round dealing more with stunts.

After a long day, don't tell these athletes they didn't have a workout.

"They are out there repeatedly lifting people their own size, own weight, over their head, for sometimes hours on end," Govier said. "And it's intense. You have to trust your teammates. You are basically trusting your life to the people below you. The person on the bottom has the life of the person above them, literally, in the palm of their hands."

Bill Broderick can be reached at bbroderi@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on Twitter: @billbroderick.

This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Area competitive cheer athletes, coaches say sport still seeks respect