Kareena Dhillon
Executive Opinion Editor
The athletics programs at Mira Costa have kept up many traditions over the years: football and basketball games consistently attract large audiences, and the cheer and dance teams continue to be a staple at these games. However, cheer and dance’s absence at girls games negatively impacts attendance and lowers recognition of the sports.
At Mira Costa, the cheer and dance teams cheer for all boys home football and basketball games, but do not cheer for girls basketball games, varsity dance team captain Lauren Goldston said. Despite the fact that both games are usually at the same location and the boys’ game immediately follows the girls’ game, cheer and dance only attend boys basketball games. In order for girls basketball to gain the same recognition and support as the boys, cheer and dance should attend girls’ home games.
The girls basketball team contacted Costa Principal Dr. Ben Dale and Vice Principal Stephanie Hall last week to voice their opinion on the issue. Hall responded that she reached out to the cheer coach and sent their game schedule. Cheer and dance should absolutely be cheering for girls, according to varsity basketball player and junior Skylar Herdman. In this day and age, female athletes should not be treated as second best, Herdman said. The cheer and dance teams are meant to cheer for Mira Costa athletics, not just Mira Costa boys athletics. Almost all of the schools that Costa plays against have cheer present to cheer for both the boys and girls teams. It is only natural for female athletes at Costa to want the same.
According to varsity basketball player and senior Christine Garrison, cheerleaders and dance team members often show up halfway through girls basketball games, only with the intent to be early for the boys game. Both teams should receive equal treatment and should have a large audience. Considering the success of Costa’s girls basketball team as second in Bay League, the players deserve the same respect and recognition.
Cheer and dance should make adjustments for both teams because girls deserve the same support, as they have worked incredibly hard to do well during the season, Garrison said. It is a matter of principle that they should at least give recognition to the hardworking athletes who commit themselves to playing a sport. Additionally, attendance levels at the girls’ games may increase if they are given more attention because students are more inclined to attend if cheer and dance are there for support.
Recently, the cheer team attended both the girls and boys basketball games on Jan. 18. However, cheering for both teams is physically exhausting and time consuming. Therefore, the best solution is for cheer and dance to alternate between games for boys and girls. The decision as to which games they attend is ultimately up to their coaches.
Moving forward, it would be in the best interest of both girls and boys basketball to split their games between dance and cheer. Dance should attend a boys game while cheer goes to the girls, and the next game, they alternate who they cheer for. Alternating between games will ensure that both teams receive equal treatment and recognition.
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