Howards Cheerleading Team is currently facing a lot of issues. Despite their commitment to the university and fellow sports teams. They do not give the cheerleading team a priority for many feel. However, the team lines up at different sporting activities, cheering up for the team.

The role of cheerleaders is very hard. They make sure that the crowd’s energy is high throughout the match. Considering the busy schedule that the girls have, they also make time for practice. However, after putting in this much effort, the cheerleading team deserves respect.

The Rise of Howards Cheerleading Team

The HBCU team has been on the rise in the last couple of years. Xavier University claimed the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. They did so with the highest point total in championship history. Additionally, the Texas Southern University bagged a national title at the National Cheerleaders Association’s College National Championship. Thus, it was the first time an HBCU had received this title at the championships. However, even after doing well for themselves, the team is not getting accepted. A few of the issues that the team faces are because of the dresses they wear. Maya Barnhardt, the team captain, talked about the issues they face in an interview with The Hilltop.

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“They just see us as a s*xual usual object because they mostly see us in our crop tops and short shorts and we’re just shaking our behind,” Barnhardt said. “It’s a whole lot more athleticism behind it.”

Another problem with the cheerleader’s team is that they don’t receive any athletic scholarships. So the athletic department does not cover their tuition expenses. Moreover, the athletic department does not provide them with other essentials like a meal plan and housing. Talking about sports scholarships, Barnhardt responded –

“Unfortunately, I do not receive one. All sports teams get housing on campus; when it came to cheer it was literally the biggest hassle to get us in towers,” Khamiyah Brown, a senior elementary education major from Nashville, said, “We don’t even get a free meal plan.”

The cheerleading team hasn’t been competitive for some time now. However, the team has plans to return to the competition. In spring, they are scheduled to compete at the National Cheerleaders Association National Championship in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Team Fighting for Self-Respect

The cheerleading team will compete in Daytona Beach at the National Cheerleaders Association Championship. However, the team will be competing after a very long time. All the team members and the captain herself look confident of bagging the first position. Also, after winning the event, it will help them gain respect and people will take them seriously.

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Moreover, the team puts a lot of effort into improving as a team. They make sure that the spirits are high during matches. Hopefully, they can win this event and earn back the respect of the people. Cheerleading is a tough sport and the people should respect this. Let us know your thoughts in the comments.