There is a story behind the pom poms. U of T’s Varsity Blues Pom Team, a recent spirit-filled addition to our sports games, is a cheering, dancing, screaming tour de force that is attempting to whip U of T fans into a school spirit frenzy.
The Pom Team’s role at games is to perform dance routines, encourage the players, entertain the crowd and keep school spirit at a constant high. The team’s presence on and around campus has been growing ever since their creation five years ago by program coordinator Ivan Canete. Inspired by a long tradition of pom in the United States, Canete created the team to fill the long gaps of silence in games that were not being filled by the cheerleading or dance teams.
The team goes far beyond simply cheering on the Blues’ sports teams; their efforts include working as ambassadors representing U of T at events including the Pride Parade and the Toronto Santa Claus Parade. Their appearances at the Pride Parade help to spread the message that the students of U of T are “firm believers in equality and diversity, and we have nothing but great respect for the lgbtq community,” says Nicole Green, the team’s co-captain. Appearances at events like Frosh Week are equally important, as they encourage students to participate in university life and get involved in extracurriculars. “That is our recruitment time and that is how we encourage new students — especially those who can dance — to get involved on campus,” explained Green.
The team has a busy schedule on top of their cheering during the school year, as they perform and compete at three major events throughout the year. This year they competed at The Falls Freeze Cheer and Dance Frenzy in New York as well as at the Cheer Evolution University and Open Championships. “This year will be our redemption year, as we are determined to beat our rivals, the Queens University Dance Pack,” Green says.
The positive feedback that the team has received this year is a new development and something that the team has had to fight to achieve. The original members found the reaction from the crowd to be overwhelmingly indifferent and difficult to overcome, and many left after one or two years on the team feeling disheartened. “The fans didn’t know how to react,” Canete admits.
Current team members, however, say that fan reaction has grown increasingly positive over time. “In the past the crowds were a bit unforgiving towards us,” Green, who is the only remaining original team member, says. “We were a fairly new program that is a hybrid of cheerleading and jazz dance so some people didn’t really see the point in our team… I think we have managed to distinguish ourselves from the two teams [dance and cheerleading] and now there are three popular spirit groups at U of T.”
The team has successfully blossomed into a more valuable part of the game experience, cheering for the Blues during basketball, volleyball, football, and hockey games throughout their seasons.
Nevertheless, as the years pass and the team’s presence is becoming increasingly respected, there remains a lack of connection between the team and the fans in the bleachers. One fan recently told The Varsity, “As a student who attends many Varsity games, I have mixed feelings towards the Pom Team at U of T. I feel that the Pom Team is important, and they do add to the in-game experience for those in the stands, but their appearances during many of the games seem very forced. Their appearances and interactions with the fans in sports other than football are not at all connected to the game.
“The Pom Team is important, but their role can be expanded and improved.”
Co-ordinator Canete explains that much of this disconnect is a product of the setup of the Athletic Centre basketball court, and that if there was more room, the team would stand behind the nets and therefore be visible to all. At Varsity Stadium the team is not faced with space constraints, and their presence and influence is recognized by players and fans. “I did think that they were a positive influence on the team,” said Mike Hassard, a former Blues football player. “They lifted the spirits on the sidelines and occasionally got the people in the crowd cheering, and the louder, the better.”
The future of the Pom Team seems bright. As their popularity grows and the quality of their cheering and dance increases with each year, the Pom Team’s presence appears set to become an integral part of home games.
