October 23, 2019 at 07:36AM
When, in 2017, Madison Morgan and Taylor Rogers founded the Appalachian State Cheerleading Club Team, they began an enterprise that required hard work, discipline, stamina, ingenuity, creativity, diplomacy, perseverance, diligence, tenacity, and grit – all skills they had honed during their years as Pisgah cheerleaders under head coach Tammy Ensley.
Both began cheering with Bethel Youth Organization, both were team captains at Bethel Middle and Pisgah High Schools, both were members of the 2012 Pisgah state championship cheerleading team and both were students at Appalachian State who were no longer cheering. They missed the challenges and sense of accomplishment, so they decided to form a competitive cheer team that was not based on tumbling skills or sideline cheering – requirements of the official university cheer squad.
The University did not make the task an easy one. Since the group was not an official university organization, they had to submit a petition, complete the "New Student Organization Chartering Packet," write a 15-page constitution, secure a faculty advisor, submit a membership roster, interview with three Intramural & Club Sports and Camp Council members, attend multiple "Club Conference" meetings, meet with 10 members in the athletic department regarding regulations, select a title and colors, secure a license, create an online profile on "App Sync" that made the information accessible to all students, locate a "Varsity Sports" representative to help with creation and purchase of uniforms, complete university required paper work, and provide all of their own funding.
Since ASU did not allow the club to use university indoor space for practice, they had to secure practice locations, some of which were expensive and an hour drive from campus. On one occasion, they found themselves practicing outside a dorm in the rain. When muddy cheerleaders complained, Madison and Taylor pressed on, remembering lessons from their cheer coach at Pisgah, Ensley, who taught them the cheer skills they needed to excel while also instilling in them a mental toughness and willingness to overcome all odds to accomplish their goals.
Prior to the cheer club being officially organized, however, Morgan and Rogers had previously surveyed interest in the cheer club concept. They posted on social media, set up a recruitment table outside the Student Union, hung flyers all over campus and hosted two interest meetings.
They were astounded when 60 students showed interest. 50 girls attended tryouts. Since competitive cheerleading sets a limit at 30 members, they selected 30 and allowed 10 others to be on a practice team to serve as alternates. They practiced five hours weekly from October until competition in March.
Practice involved advance planning in choreographing dance routines, stunts, tumbling, and jumps – all directed by Morgan and Rogers while they were also juggling having part-time jobs and being full-time students with heavy scholastic obligations.
Funding became a priority. Paying for practice space, music mixing, uniforms, competition fees, and hotel rooms during competition totaled thousands of dollars. They did fundraising through "Snap Raise" and "Comeback Shack" and set up a cheer club bank account.
Competition required researching several competition venues. They decided on a familiar one, CANAM in Myrtle Beach, where they had competed in high school. The team competed successfully its first year, coming in sixth and again their second year, coming in third.
Morgan and Rogers have both graduated, but using the traditions instilled in them at Pisgah as a foundation, the two friends who have cheered together since grammar school have created a new tradition that will endure at Appalachian State.
A recent Pisgah graduate, Adison Spivey, made the team at the 2019 tryouts, suggesting that the future of the ASU cheerleading club is bright and that Pisgah traditions will continue to bolster a positive presence at Appalachian State. Quoting scientist Margaret Mead, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the word; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." In this particular case, never doubt that two thoughtful, committed cheerleaders can change a university campus; Madison Morgan and Taylor Rogers just did.
The Pisgah High School cheer program has a longstanding tradition of excellence. Adison Spivey, PHS Class of 2019 and Varsity Cheer Captain, tried out and made the Appalachian State University Club Cheer Team.
"I am so excited to see Adison continue cheering at the college level. She was an excellent cheerleaders for PHS all four years, and she worked so hard as the captain her senior year," said head coach Tammy P. Ensley.
Spivey was awarded a scholarship by the North Carolina Cheerleading Coaches Association. She was a member of the 2018 State Championship team. Adison was an All Region cheerleader and made the NCCCA All State team.
Morgan, now employed by Pisgah High, is excited to see another Pisgah girl on the ASU Club Cheer team. She knows the work ethic, the leadership skills and the mental toughness instilled in the girls that cheer for the Black Bears. She hopes that will keep the ASU club cheer team thriving for years to come.
When, in 2017, Madison Morgan and Taylor Rogers founded the Appalachian State Cheerleading Club Team, they began an enterprise that required hard work, discipline, stamina, ingenuity, creativity, diplomacy, perseverance, diligence, tenacity, and grit – all skills they had honed during their years as Pisgah cheerleaders under head coach Tammy Ensley.
Both began cheering with Bethel Youth Organization, both were team captains at Bethel Middle and Pisgah High Schools, both were members of the 2012 Pisgah state championship cheerleading team and both were students at Appalachian State who were no longer cheering. They missed the challenges and sense of accomplishment, so they decided to form a competitive cheer team that was not based on tumbling skills or sideline cheering – requirements of the official university cheer squad.
The University did not make the task an easy one. Since the group was not an official university organization, they had to submit a petition, complete the "New Student Organization Chartering Packet," write a 15-page constitution, secure a faculty advisor, submit a membership roster, interview with three Intramural & Club Sports and Camp Council members, attend multiple "Club Conference" meetings, meet with 10 members in the athletic department regarding regulations, select a title and colors, secure a license, create an online profile on "App Sync" that made the information accessible to all students, locate a "Varsity Sports" representative to help with creation and purchase of uniforms, complete university required paper work, and provide all of their own funding.
Since ASU did not allow the club to use university indoor space for practice, they had to secure practice locations, some of which were expensive and an hour drive from campus. On one occasion, they found themselves practicing outside a dorm in the rain. When muddy cheerleaders complained, Madison and Taylor pressed on, remembering lessons from their cheer coach at Pisgah, Ensley, who taught them the cheer skills they needed to excel while also instilling in them a mental toughness and willingness to overcome all odds to accomplish their goals.
Prior to the cheer club being officially organized, however, Morgan and Rogers had previously surveyed interest in the cheer club concept. They posted on social media, set up a recruitment table outside the Student Union, hung flyers all over campus and hosted two interest meetings.
They were astounded when 60 students showed interest. 50 girls attended tryouts. Since competitive cheerleading sets a limit at 30 members, they selected 30 and allowed 10 others to be on a practice team to serve as alternates. They practiced five hours weekly from October until competition in March.
Practice involved advance planning in choreographing dance routines, stunts, tumbling, and jumps – all directed by Morgan and Rogers while they were also juggling having part-time jobs and being full-time students with heavy scholastic obligations.
Funding became a priority. Paying for practice space, music mixing, uniforms, competition fees, and hotel rooms during competition totaled thousands of dollars. They did fundraising through "Snap Raise" and "Comeback Shack" and set up a cheer club bank account.
Competition required researching several competition venues. They decided on a familiar one, CANAM in Myrtle Beach, where they had competed in high school. The team competed successfully its first year, coming in sixth and again their second year, coming in third.
Morgan and Rogers have both graduated, but using the traditions instilled in them at Pisgah as a foundation, the two friends who have cheered together since grammar school have created a new tradition that will endure at Appalachian State.
A recent Pisgah graduate, Adison Spivey, made the team at the 2019 tryouts, suggesting that the future of the ASU cheerleading club is bright and that Pisgah traditions will continue to bolster a positive presence at Appalachian State. Quoting scientist Margaret Mead, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the word; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." In this particular case, never doubt that two thoughtful, committed cheerleaders can change a university campus; Madison Morgan and Taylor Rogers just did.
The Pisgah High School cheer program has a longstanding tradition of excellence. Adison Spivey, PHS Class of 2019 and Varsity Cheer Captain, tried out and made the Appalachian State University Club Cheer Team.
"I am so excited to see Adison continue cheering at the college level. She was an excellent cheerleaders for PHS all four years, and she worked so hard as the captain her senior year," said head coach Tammy P. Ensley.
Spivey was awarded a scholarship by the North Carolina Cheerleading Coaches Association. She was a member of the 2018 State Championship team. Adison was an All Region cheerleader and made the NCCCA All State team.
Morgan, now employed by Pisgah High, is excited to see another Pisgah girl on the ASU Club Cheer team. She knows the work ethic, the leadership skills and the mental toughness instilled in the girls that cheer for the Black Bears. She hopes that will keep the ASU club cheer team thriving for years to come.