PLAYING
Cheerleader: By Kaitlynn Knopp
O NNEST LEE VA D BY KA E ID V O PR TURES ALL PIC
n On any given game day, Spartan Stadium is home to 75,000 screaming fans and 300 band members, all responsible for making it the 20th loudest college football stadium, according to the “Bleacher Report.” But among all of those people are 16 others, whose sole responsibility is to pump up the crowd and keep the energy alive.
These people are none other than MSU’s nationally ranked cheerleading team, who sets foot on the field every game day, ready to enthusiastically lead Spartan fans and their team to victory. Hospitality business senior Storm Garfield said cheering at Spartan Stadium is unbelievable. “I can’t really put it into words,” Garfield said. “It’s so exciting being able to lead the
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10 October 2011
student section and know that someone is always looking right at you. I’m so lucky to be able to experience it game after game.” Zoology sophomore Kalee Vannest agreed, and said the experience is “extremely exciting and adrenaline pumping.” GO GREEN! GO WHITE! The cheerleading team makes more than 200 appearances a year and can be seen at many events outside of football. The program is divided into two co-ed squads--the green squad and the white squad--and each squad cheers for different sports. The green squad cheers for men’s football and basketball, while the white squad cheers for women’s volleyball and basketball. In addition, the team attends various special events and functions, such as parades, personal football tailgates, Midnight Madness, weddings, alumni receptions, and more. “Unlike other teams, we’re more directly involved with the fans,” Garfield said. “We interact with them on a daily basis, whether it’s during a game, at a university function, or just on the street. Someone is always watching us so we must represent the university as best we can and set a good example at all times.” MAKE IT OR BREAK IT Beginning in February of each year, a few open workouts are held where high school girls can come and work on their skills with the current team. In March, new prospective cheerleaders send in a short video showcasing their skills. From there, head coach Elyse Packard