Lack of funds, GPA requirements hinder cheerleaders

By Emily Denton
Staff ReporterUTC cheerleaders have to shake their pompoms with lighter wallets because of low university funding, according to team members.

This extracurricular activity is not considered an official sport by the university, yet has to adhere to all the regulations of a university sports team.

University sport regulations require team members to maintain a higher grade-point average than non-athletes.

According to cheerleading advisor Will Williams, the cheerleaders are required to have a 2.3 GPA.

Cheerleading team members said because their travel time is not considered an official sporting event, they do not receive money for scholarships and tutoring like other sports teams.

Hannah Phillips, a Jackson, Tenn. freshman, said in an e-mail she still enjoys cheering, even though her squad does not receive a substantial amount of money from the university.

Laura Mincy, associate athletic director, said: "The cheerleaders are funded in the same way as the band and the Sugar Mocs, it all comes from outside the athletic department. They are all funded under the same umbrella as auxiliary services."

The UTC cheerleaders include the mascot, Scrappy, and a co-ed group of students who cheer at sporting and other university events.

According to Williams, the team receives its funding from student development.

Each member receives a stipend of $225 per semester.

The individual team members must cover any additional expenses such as uniforms or travel costs.

Warren Shipley, a Chattanooga senior, also enjoys his extracurricular activity.

In an e-mail, he said cheerleading "is a good workout, a good way to meet a lot of people and it builds character."

"Though the scholarship here is minimal, it still helps," Shipley continued.

Some students agree that the minimal stipend from student development should be used for the cheerleading squad.

Jennifer Jackson, a Maryville, Tenn. senior, supports the funding for the cheerleaders.

"Our athletic teams get very little support from the student body and it would be unfortunate if they didn't even get the cheerleaders' support," Jackson said.

"The minimal fee for cheerleaders is worth it because the athletes need some sort of support, and cheerleading is the most available support network they have," Jackson continued.

Katie Barger, a senior from Germantown, Tenn., also supports the student development funding.

"If we provide funding for other sport organizations, it is only fair to provide cheerleaders with some support as well," Barger said.

However, not all students agree that student development funding should be used for cheerleading.

Melanie Butler, a Chattanooga freshman, said, "I don't think they should get university funding, not because they aren't athletes, but because we shouldn't even have a football team to cheer [for] in the first place."

"Football is Knoxville's bag and we should just let them have it and put all of our sport and cheerleading money into some of our stronger and yet under-funded programs," Butler said.