IU Athletics cuts pom squad

Assistant Athletic Director Chuck Crabb announced that IU has decided to end the pom squad, which was part of the IU cheerleading program, in an e-mail sent to current and prospective IU pom squad members.\nAccording to the e-mail, IU's "senior Athletics Administration members" and IU cheerleading coach Julie Clements had several discussions about "what works, what can be refined and what can be better presented in a manner to rally fan support for the Indiana University Athletics teams and to complement the game day experience." Crabb said in his e-mail that the decision was difficult to reach, but they had to "weigh what was best" for IU sports. \nThe 14-member pom squad performs routines at halftimes of basketball and football games as well as cheerleading and dance competitions. \nIU Athletics Media Relations Director Pete Rhoda said he did not know the specifics of the decision. Crabb was not available for comment by press time. \nThe cheerleading program will still be selecting both a co-ed Cream squad and aCrimson squad, and Crabb encouraged those interested to continue participating in try-outs for those squads. He also suggested that students look into IU's other dance programs like the RedSteppers, who perform with the Marching Hundred at football games, InMotion Dance Company and the African American Dance Company.\nCurrent and former pom squad members, however, are outraged at the athletics department's decision. The athletics department had been considering scrapping the program for about a year, 2005 IU graduate and pom squad alumna Angela Beltchenko said. But at the beginning of the school year, IU fired the squad's coach for reasons unknown to the squad, she said. The head cheerleading coach informed the squad that this would be a "make it or break it" year, said Beltchenko, who was upset by the lack of support given to the squad.\n"It was a lot of pressure to put on the girls because they were coaching themselves for about two months and had to work on their own," she said. "As a coach, your job is to help your team succeed and I feel like the cheer program and administration just didn't support the girls this year the way that she should have."\nSophomore pom squad member Devon Goudge said the squad members were particularly upset because no one told them in person or explained the decision. All the members received the e-mail Thursday before spring break that said the program had been cut. Goudge said she was also frustrated about the "make it or break it" philosophy for the season.\n"We were never really sure what that statement meant," Goudge said. "We just tried our best. We cheered at the games and placed 10th at nationals in the hip-hop category. We just did what we were asked, but apparently we didn't do something right."\nGoudge said the squad is still unsure why the program was cut and that officials have yet to offer any explanation or provide a time to make themselves available to answer questions. Goudge said fundraising could be a factor in the decision, but that it most likely isn't the biggest issue since the squad covers most of its expenses through fundraising.\nThe squad and its supporters won't let the program go without a fight, though. Two days ago, Goudge started an online petition to save the squad, which currently has more than 400 signatures and is getting more by the minute. Goudge said the point of the petition is not to bash the squad's coaching, but rather to convince the athletics department that the squad is important to IU's spirit and that it's "not a copy of the cheerleading squad."\nThe pom squad has also created a "Bring Back the IU Pom Squad!" Facebook group that contains a link to the petition and a portion of the letter Crabb sent.\nGoudge has been contacting the coaches of other Big Ten pom squads and has received support from four so far, including Minnesota, whose squad placed first at nationals this year. She said she hopes their support will show IU that the pom squad has a place among the top teams in the nation.\nCurrently the squad is looking for any support it can get, Beltchenko and Goudge said. The members are meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Alpha Omicron Pi sorority to think of ways to gain support. They are also encouraging students to sign the petition at www.petitiononline.com.\nBeltchenko and Goudge both expressed the disappointment felt by the squad's members and their concern that the elimination of the pom squad, which was established in the early 1960s, will break strong IU spirit traditions.\n"The support for IU athletics has already decreased a lot with everything that has happened in the last year," Goudge said. "To cut a spirit program is probably one of the worst decisions the administration could have made at this time"