Filed under: Behind The Cast, Dan, Random Reads
Author: Dan
Date: Mar 6, 2011
Okay, so this Behind the Cast is a brief flash back to a previous time in my life – when I was in university at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and was part of the school’s varsity cheerleading team. Yes folks, I was a cheerleader. It was the closest thing to gymnastics at UBC and I was dared to give it a shot. Who knew I would fall in love with the sport and the legitimate competitive nature of it all! What’s not to love about Cheerleading? Sure it’s appearance is fluffiness, stupidity and pointless; but honestly, it isn’t like that at all! It’s truly a collection of hot/ripped men throwing cute girls in tiny skirts into the air. Most people are surprised at the athleticism of it all!
As I write this, I should be clear that this article isn’t mean to appear as me taking a stance at those people who disapprove of cheerleading and pep rallies, but in turn to finally get the publics opinion on an eight-year long dispute. In 2003 the official cheerleading tournament, Best in the West was held in British Columbia and several universities and colleges were represented from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia. The final two performances were from two BC universities who had dueled it out at Canadian Cheerleading Nationals in Toronto only a few short months before. The two rival schools were UBC and Simon Fraser University (SFU). I myself was on the UBC team and my colleague and close friend Danielle was on the SFU team.
At the end of the competition there was a surprise upset with the SFU team taking home the winning trophy with UBC coming up short in second place. For years this has baffled me based on the two routines, their style, choreography, dance, spirit and technical abilities. Now, I want your help in deciding, so once and for all I can say that UBC truly should have won! Yes, this is self-serving and an attempt to boost my own ego, and by no means and I challenging the decision or trying to force a change in the decision. I just know I’m right!
NOTE: I am the guy who tumbles from the back of the floor to the front at the start of the routine.
Darren
March 6th, 2011 at 4:20 pm
okay, i didn’t even finish SFU’s video, and it is OBVIOUS! that UBC should have won. SFU started the routine off with mistakes that just got worse and more apparent. i stopped watching at 1:20. I’m a gymnast, so i only know little about cheerleading, but i know enough to know that the judges were either paid, biased, or high to let SFU win.
Butch
March 7th, 2011 at 10:38 pm
Nailed it.
Dan
March 12th, 2011 at 2:36 pm
Thanks for your opinion Darren! And thanks Butch. ;)