As the credits of Bring It On roll, I am left with a distorted picture of cheerleaders as narrow-minded, simple, and flaky. But upon meeting U of T student and Argonaut cheerleader Shannan Lawrence, this portrayal is immediately proven false. She is a broad-minded, intelligent, and one hell of an athlete.
This week I had the pleasure of talking to the third-year student, who is well on her way to a degree at U of T. Lawrence is not your average student, though. She juggles her studies with a spot on the Argos squad, as well as working at a part-time job during the season.
That is one busy schedule.
Lawrence does not deny that part of what comes with being a cheerleader is dealing with stereotypes and ignorance: “You hear the word cheerleader and you automatically think ‘bimbo.'”
Lawrence is calling for a bit of respect for those that entertain when the entertainment has stopped. She would not be taking a double major in English and anthropology if she wasn’t bright, and Shannan is certainly not the only student on her team. At least 50 per cent of the dancers are students. They have to find time to keep in shape, learn routines, and finish their homework
Shannan and her team practice two nights a week during the season, are expected to arrive two hours before the start of each game, and don’t leave until well after the final gun sounds. They are also expected to do promotional work on top of their training and performances.
Being part of this group requires an excellent level of fitness and a serious approach to the job. It takes an enormous amount of commitment to maintain the high standards of performance expected of an Argos cheerleader.
Lawrence’s background is not as a cheerleader, but as a competitive dancer. When she heard about the Argos trials she jumped at the chance to prove herself. She had just taken a long break from dancing and was desperate for the opportunity to prove that she still the ability and passion to be a good performer: “I really wanted to see if I still had ‘it.'”
She also admits to having been intimidated upon joining a large group of females, saying she could “just picture one huge cat fight.”
But she loves the work and insists the girls are like one big family, where everyone gets along remarkably well.
Cheerleading is a team activity, and people are slowly beginning to recognize the huge amount of work that goes on behind the scenes. Every performance represents a concerted team effort, as all the dances have to be meticulously rehearsed and memorized. Cheerleading competitions are hugely popular south of the border, where competitions are regularly broadcast on ESPN.
Lawrence sees the work that goes into cheerleading and also acknowledges the advantages and bonuses that go along with it. She enjoys hanging out with the players and attending glamorous events and soirées. However, the biggest advantage in her eyes is that it allows her to burn off steam and forget about academic concerns for a short time (after hearing her speak I think I would consider getting involved myself, if it weren’t for that crazy fear of lycra).
She encourages other girls to give it a shot if it is something they are interested in at all. “You don’t know what will happen until you try,” she says.
“You are never too old for the team,” Lawrence adds.
So, when you are watching the Argonauts dance team display its abilities at home games this summer, remember that there is more to a cheerleader than meets the eye.
