A&M Has Cheerleaders?

The Texas A&M Competition Squad competed at the NCA Cheer and Dance Nationals in Daytona Beach, Florida this past weekend. If your response to this was, “What the heck is the Competition Squad?” or “A&M doesn’t have cheerleaders!”, you are not alone.
The Competition Squad is an all-girl cheerleading squad that has been under the Texas A&M Department of Recreation’s Sport Clubs since it became a member in 2009. Prior to 2009, the squad, formerly known as “Ag Elite,” conducted itself as a student organization without university recognition. This weekend was the Competition Squad’s third appearance as a Texas A&M Sport Club at Nationals in Daytona.
Because it is not a varsity sport, the Competition Squad is run differently than it’s well-funded and well-known competitors across the country. Varsity cheerleading programs are coached by carefully hired and paid staffs while the Competition Squad is student run with a volunteer coach. The Aggies have to raise thousands of dollars and drive over seventeen hours to reach Daytona, while other teams are flown and provided for. This arrangement makes for an “underdog” positioning of the squad each year as it travels to Nationals. The ability of the Competition Squad to place fifth in both 2010 and 2011 is a great accomplishment against the odds.
On Thursday, April 12th, time seemed to have stopped when the Competition Squad found itself in first place after day one preliminaries. Texas A&M winning a National Championship in cheerleading would be like seeing a cow walk on it’s hind legs. Like seeing Dr. Loftin on campus without his bow tie. The squad finally had in its grasp the exact goal that it had been working for all year.
Unfortunately, day two finals did not go quite accordingly for National Champion rings to be worn home on the Aggies’ fingers, or for pictures to be taken with a first place trophy by the ocean. Maybe it was the nerves, or the pressure, or the unlucky date of Friday the 13th, but the squad had a much different performance on the mat.
Although the Aggies were not named National Champions, the simple possibility and closeness of bringing home the title is unheard of for such a new team. The members of this 2011-2012 squad mark a new beginning, and they are more than ready to claim that trophy. A move to the SEC isn’t the only change coming in Aggie Athletics. A&M may not have cheerleaders on the field, but it has a Competition Squad that is ready to be known!