Written by: Lauren Buser & Miguel Kronbach. Media by: John Walnofer
The Greenville College Cheerleading Team has been the headline of much of this year’s news. With a new program, coach and the team being initiated into the athletic department, they’ve worked hard to keep their name in the mouths of students and faculty on campus. Yet, behind the scenes, the cheerleaders are all about Jesus, leadership, and service.
Glory be to God
Even though the Greenville College cheerleading Program has just begun this year, it has made a major impact in the college and in the community. The cheerleading program revolves around Jesus in everything they do. Every Monday, the cheerleaders begin their practice with team devotionals. Each devotional incorporates different aspects of being a Christian, a cheerleader, and a member of a team. They also begin and end every practice in prayer. And each prayer they end with a saying that goes “All that we are and all that we have we give to Christ and to his service.” This phrase means so much. Everything that they do no matter what the outcome, they do their best and give all the glory to Him. The cheerleading team showed their love for Jesus by leading worship for faculty chapel. They took time out of their practices to learn sign language to a worship song, as well as create some very moving sermons. As a team, they have been asked to lead another chapel service later this year.
Service Projects
Already this year, the cheer team has begun to make their faces know in Greenville’s community, as well as other communities around us. Coach Sean Anthony Washington has gone to recruiting fairs and competitions all year, taking some of the team with him each time. This has included a recruiting fair at McKendree College, judging a cheer competition in Mulberry Grove, and staffing a Christian Cheerleaders of America(CCA) cheerleading competition. During the Christmas season, the cheerleaders had a Christmas party for the Simple Room children. They decorated cookies, ate popcorn while watching “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and sang Christmas songs together. Recently, they are participating in the bottled water donation.
Leadership
The biggest role of cheerleaders is leadership. During football, basketball, or any other sporting event people can always count on the cheerleaders to rally up the crowd. One of the biggest values the cheerleaders uphold is leading by example. Being a cheerleader does not end on the floor, at the end of a game nor does it end at practice. They are leaders, and as leaders, they focus on being an example in their day to day lives. They hosted a stunt clinic here at the college fall semester for younger cheer teams who wanted to improve for college. Coach Sean explains to them that they are ambassadors of Greenville College.
As ambassadors of Greenville College, the cheer team strives to attend events and be the face of Greenville College, both on and off campus. They stay up to date on social media, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Follow and see what they are up to next!
