Lack of dedicationcited in cheerleadingbreakup

by Stephanie Masucci assistant a&e editor

Why couldn't they all just get along? If only this question could be answered. The Cabrini College cheerleading squad ceases to exist at the present time on campus.

Where did they go? What happened? Well, who knows?

"Our coach wasn't a coach. She was a cool person but she didn't do her job. Since my sophomore year I had to run the team. I had to teach the cheers. I was supposed to be the captain, not the coach," explained junior Andrea Manieri.

The coach Manieri is talking about is Ms. Lisa McLish. In her third year at Cabrini, McLish was forced to leave when her entire squad quit.

"There was no interest on the student's part. They were not dedicated," McLish said.

Last year, cheers were heard throughout the gymnasium and half time was reserved for the cheerleaders.

Organized dancing and or cheering with the echoing sounds of the music with the best beat could be heard outside the court's walls.

Last year they were hot, this year there is nothing left. "I was the only one from last year's team that returned this year," Manieri said. "This year was just not the same. It wasn't fun anymore. So I quit. Then the next day the rest of the squad left as well."

A communication problem was a key factor in this club's demise.

"The coach and cheerleaders didn't agree on their philosophies.

It seemed that the coach didn't want to coach anymore and the cheerleaders didn't want to cheer," assistant Athletic Director

Leslie Danehy explained.

McLish and Danehy had a few meetings during the year to discuss the problems that were going on between the squad.

"Lisa was a good coach. She was here for three years with us. She explained to me that the girls weren't showing up for practice and that there was a lack of commitment," Danehy said.

Manieri wishes that there was more communication between the squad and her coach during the season. Her requests for a meeting between everyone involved were never acknowledged.

Cheerleading is not an NCAA sport at Cabrini College. However, the athletic department funded them. It has been recommended that if cheerleading returns next year it should go under club status.

Head coordinator of Student

Activities and head softball coach Bridget Baxter agrees that cheerleading should be a club next year.

"If the students present their club to the. Student Government Association, we will review how much money they would need for traveling, et cetera. at the budget hearing," Baxter said.

When the head director of athletics, John Dzik, was asked if cheerleading would return next year he was not positive.

"Cheerleading will be re-evaluated by the way it ended and as a whole. We will see what direction cheerleading needs to go in the future," Dzik said.

The future of Cabrini cheerleading is a sketchy one. There is not a definite word on whether cheerleading will be a club in the brochure for next year but the students are hopeful.

Manieri stated that she and the entire squad would come back next year under the direction of a new coach.

'Tm very saddened that cheerleading had to be dismissed for the season. I miss being at the school and the games a lot. Hopefully, it can resume in the future," McLish said.

The basketball players are now left with quiet time-outs and peaceful half times. The sounds of cheering and support are no longer heard from the cheerleaders.

"We miss the support the team doesn't get anymore," Dzik said. "Whether it be cheerleaders or fans."

Hopefully the cheerleaders won't have to be missed for too much longer.