El Vaquero

Issue date: 3/30/07 Section: Features

The GCC Spirit Squad gives the crowd at sports events a boost of energy and enthusiasm with their cheers.

Glendale College Spirit, the cheerleading team on campus, set a precedent by achieving second place at the United Spirit Association Collegiate Nationals in Las Vegas, Nev., in February.

After a football stadium was erected on campus two years ago, many people in the athletic department found it a prime time to start a cheerleading team. Glendale College Spirit, now also in its second year on campus, was founded by Coach Jessie Moorhead in September 2005. Moorhead, who has an abundance of experience in dance and cheerleading, was attending a dance class on campus when her reputation sparked some interest.

"I was interviewing at a number of different schools [at the time], including Northridge and Whittier," said Moorhead. "But it turned out [the athletic department was] starting to look for a cheer coach at GCC. Someone looked up my background and I got an interview. I immediately turned down the other positions."

According to Moorhead, the team's first year was mostly spent establishing a functional cheerleading team and determining the obligations the team would have toward the campus. "The first year, I wanted some positive outgoing students that were school-oriented," she said. "But this past year, they definitely had to have competitive backgrounds as well."

The cheerleaders go through extensive training, based on goals set at the beginning of the year. Moorhead said that the cheerleaders are each given particular goals to work on during the year. Those who achieve their goals are the ones able to compete. In order to achieve their goals, the cheerleaders have particular workout, dietary, gymnastics, and stunt schedules.

In addition, they also work on basic school cheers and competition routines.

Cheerleader Aaron Weller called the cheerleading program "amazing.. I never actually did cheer or gymnastics until I started the program at Glendale," he said. "I started with no skills and everything I learned, I learned from [Moorhead]. She really is amazing."

"My theory is this: Cheer-leading is incredibly physically challenging," said Moorhead. "People don't realize it until they try it for a second. But the moment they try it, it's addictive and they're stuck and there is nothing they can do about it."

Continued...

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