Spotlight: FIT Cheerleading
Cheerleading was something that I didn’t start, or personally even think about starting, until my freshman year of high school when a friend on the current team made the suggestion of joining. Since then, I had always planned on working my way up to cheer at the collegiate level. Cheerleading has been such an integral part of my life, I figured I’d shed some light on the importance of the program both to the individual team members and to the entire campus and community. I hope this will earn more respect for our cheerleading program and spark some interest in joining a team that is full of class and composure both on and off the field.

Cheerleading Increases Overall School Spirit
I’m not talking about just at the games and I’m definitely not just talking about within the select group of students who follow certain sports teams. I mean the whole Florida Tech community – the students, the alumni, the family, and anyone who has their eye on Florida Tech in any way are all positively affected by this team. Just the fact that Florida Tech has a team should generally increase attendance at certain sports functions and, like any college that has a good cheerleading program, Florida Tech athletics as a whole just seems more professional and cohesive with the inclusion of our cheerleading team. I’ll also add that last season, alumni would come up to our cheerleaders after games and at off-campus events telling us how much the program has improved and how much of a pleasure it was to watch us. We knew they weren’t just saying that because the team has grown so much in just the past year and we could really feel it with the cheers from the crowd during our mid-court timeout routines and stunts. Florida Tech’s cheerleading team is highly respected in the community and brings that same respect back to the entire campus.

Cheerleaders are Role Models
If their nearly constant bright smiles and enthusiasm for life weren’t enough, their goal to be healthier and more physically fit plus their efforts to keep up with student-athlete academic standards, and Presto! – you have a group of some of the best role models on campus. They do it all while balancing practice schedules, games and events, just like all our Florida Tech athletes do each semester
The Modern Workforce Needs Cheerleaders
After all is said and done, cheerleaders are students and will soon enough become graduates… which is a good thing for the business world! Improving a company’s productivity (and ultimately, profits) requires the engagement and enthusiasm of its employees, something cheerleaders know a lot about. Cheerleading encourages a very true spirit for self, school, and community. Not only are these feelings held internally, but they’re also infectious. On top of that, this enthusiasm can translate into excitement for any organization that cheerleaders become a part of later in life, including their employers. Cheerleaders are used to having pom-poms and voices that are heard… wherever they go they’ll always have that shouting-to-the-world mentality. The excitement that cheerleaders naturally have is an invaluable resource to all employers.
Florida Tech’s cheerleading team really is an amazing program. If you have any questions about the team or tryouts, feel free to connect with the team on Facebook or just comment and I’ll get you in touch with the right people.
I was coerced in to trying out for the cheerleading squad at my undergraduate university, Bowling Green State (OH). I had no idea what it was all about until…I actually made the squad! I enjoyed your article, Genevieve. I can’t wait to see the Panther squad perform at FIT’s first football game! ~ Kim. (M.B.A. ’11)