October 09, 2019 at 04:04AM
The Taylor youth cheerleading program, consisting of second through fifth graders at Taylor Elementary School, entered its second year this summer.
Brittney Farmer, a former high school cheerleader, was driven to start youth cheerleading at Taylor after moving back to the Kokomo area from Anderson, Ind. Having a young daughter who had participated in cheerleading since age 3, Farmer decided it was time to take action to provide an activity for her and other young girls to enjoy.
"When we got here, I didn't feel like girls had any sport or recreation to do, and [my daughter] really just wanted to do cheer again," Farmer said. "So, she didn't have anything to do. I was like, 'Well, I really want the girls to have something to do.' All her little friends begged. Really, that's what started it was just their passions. They wanted to do it."
This year, the team has 15 girls. While that number is lower than what Farmer would like, she and assistant coach Raecheal Walker continue to build the program with better funding and equipment.
Last year, the team participated in many fund-raising activities, such as cookie dough and popcorn sales, as well as decal sales, and received a portion of shirt sales from Vickers Graphics. For the upcoming basketball season, Farmer said the girls will have a laundry soap fund raiser.
Trying to keep the cost of the program to a minimum, Farmer had the girls wear T-shirts and shorts with handmade bows during last year's football season. But after seeing another cheer squad in uniforms, Farmer knew the girls wanted cheer uniforms as well.
Luckily, due to the amount of sales, Farmer was able to order official Taylor Elementary School (TES) cheer uniforms and professionally-made cheer bows just in time for the following basketball season.
"This year, the fund is up there. We really haven't spent too much out of the cheer fund, and that's just because I want it to be built up so they can get more, different uniforms," Farmer said. "I'd like to get some mats. That's the next thing so that we can stunt, and I can feel a little more comfortable with it instead of a hard floor that they're on."
The program begins in the summer with one to two practices a week, first learning the football cheers. Since the youth football program now has a second- and third-grade team and a fourth- and fifth-grade team, the cheerleaders split their time cheering between the two.
During basketball season last year, the girls cheered for the fifth-grade boys' team and anticipate continuing with that this coming season.
At practice, the girls spend a significant amount of time stretching, practicing jumps, doing drills, and learning motions.
"As far as being a coach, I love to see those 'a-ha' moments. A girl's working on something, and then all of a sudden she's got it because they start off, and they know nothing at this age group. A lot of them come, and they've never done anything," Farmer said.
Besides cheerleading skills and techniques, Farmer teaches the girls respect and has high expectations for them to stand with purpose and be quiet and listen when a coach or teammate is talking. The girls are well-disciplined, Farmer said, so she typically has no problems. However, she does support parents if the parents believe their child needs to sit out or not attend a game due to behavioral or grade problems.
Additionally, the coaches try to include fun activities throughout the year for the girls, such as sleepovers and swim parties. This past weekend, the squad held a tailgate party for the youth football team. Farmer tries to create a more family-like atmosphere, remembering the lasting relationships she made through cheerleading.
"I felt like we (her cheer team) were really close friends. It built those relationships," Farmer said. "That's who I grew up with and still keep in contact with them to this day. So, I feel like it builds those relationships with peers."
The Taylor youth cheerleading program, consisting of second through fifth graders at Taylor Elementary School, entered its second year this summer.
Brittney Farmer, a former high school cheerleader, was driven to start youth cheerleading at Taylor after moving back to the Kokomo area from Anderson, Ind. Having a young daughter who had participated in cheerleading since age 3, Farmer decided it was time to take action to provide an activity for her and other young girls to enjoy.
"When we got here, I didn't feel like girls had any sport or recreation to do, and [my daughter] really just wanted to do cheer again," Farmer said. "So, she didn't have anything to do. I was like, 'Well, I really want the girls to have something to do.' All her little friends begged. Really, that's what started it was just their passions. They wanted to do it."
This year, the team has 15 girls. While that number is lower than what Farmer would like, she and assistant coach Raecheal Walker continue to build the program with better funding and equipment.
Last year, the team participated in many fund-raising activities, such as cookie dough and popcorn sales, as well as decal sales, and received a portion of shirt sales from Vickers Graphics. For the upcoming basketball season, Farmer said the girls will have a laundry soap fund raiser.
Trying to keep the cost of the program to a minimum, Farmer had the girls wear T-shirts and shorts with handmade bows during last year's football season. But after seeing another cheer squad in uniforms, Farmer knew the girls wanted cheer uniforms as well.
Luckily, due to the amount of sales, Farmer was able to order official Taylor Elementary School (TES) cheer uniforms and professionally-made cheer bows just in time for the following basketball season.
"This year, the fund is up there. We really haven't spent too much out of the cheer fund, and that's just because I want it to be built up so they can get more, different uniforms," Farmer said. "I'd like to get some mats. That's the next thing so that we can stunt, and I can feel a little more comfortable with it instead of a hard floor that they're on."
The program begins in the summer with one to two practices a week, first learning the football cheers. Since the youth football program now has a second- and third-grade team and a fourth- and fifth-grade team, the cheerleaders split their time cheering between the two.
During basketball season last year, the girls cheered for the fifth-grade boys' team and anticipate continuing with that this coming season.
At practice, the girls spend a significant amount of time stretching, practicing jumps, doing drills, and learning motions.
"As far as being a coach, I love to see those 'a-ha' moments. A girl's working on something, and then all of a sudden she's got it because they start off, and they know nothing at this age group. A lot of them come, and they've never done anything," Farmer said.
Besides cheerleading skills and techniques, Farmer teaches the girls respect and has high expectations for them to stand with purpose and be quiet and listen when a coach or teammate is talking. The girls are well-disciplined, Farmer said, so she typically has no problems. However, she does support parents if the parents believe their child needs to sit out or not attend a game due to behavioral or grade problems.
Additionally, the coaches try to include fun activities throughout the year for the girls, such as sleepovers and swim parties. This past weekend, the squad held a tailgate party for the youth football team. Farmer tries to create a more family-like atmosphere, remembering the lasting relationships she made through cheerleading.
"I felt like we (her cheer team) were really close friends. It built those relationships," Farmer said. "That's who I grew up with and still keep in contact with them to this day. So, I feel like it builds those relationships with peers."