New Opportunities for Cheerleading at Technical Colleges in Wisconsin
In the world of college sports, technical colleges often lack the same athletic opportunities as four-year universities. However, one cheerleading coach has made strides to change that in Wisconsin. Macy Bump, a coach with a vision, noticed a gap in opportunities for talented high school cheerleaders who attended technical colleges without competitive sports programs.
Bump, who attended a technical college herself, recognized the need for a program that could fit into the busy lives of these students. “I felt that making a program that fit the lives of technical college students would really draw them in and make a difference,” she shared with WPR’s “Wisconsin Today.”
Her solution was to collaborate with Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC), where she had taken classes in 2019. CVTC, which previously had an esports team and intramural football but lacked a traditional athletic department, became the perfect setting for this new venture.
Bump and Erin Hazen, CVTC’s student clubs and leadership coordinator, worked together to establish the college’s first competitive cheer squad. There were initial challenges such as developing a handbook and determining academic requirements for athletes. “There just wasn’t really groundwork laid yet for what athletics looked like,” Hazen explained.
Their efforts paid off when the team held tryouts last fall, drawing more participants than available spots. The CVTC cheer team now includes 11 athletes and introduces Ollie the River Otter, the college’s first mascot in 40 years.
After just three months of practice, the cheer squad secured first place at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire’s Fire Up Cheerleading Competition in December. Izzy Kaeding, a first-year nursing student from Eau Claire, serves as both the team captain and the “flyer,” the cheerleader who is lifted during routines. “We walk in and most of us are strangers,” Kaeding said. “But you’ve got to build connections. You’ve got to make those friends before you are thrown and caught by them because it is a lot of trust that you need.”
Kaeding highlights the distinction between competitive cheer and sideline cheer, noting that competitive cheer involves performing acrobatic routines in front of judges. The team is supportive and inclusive, welcoming athletes with varying levels of experience. “We are such a team sport that we’re all going to build each other up and we’re going to help everybody get the skills needed,” Kaeding added.
Looking ahead, the CVTC cheer team is set to perform at an exhibition on Saturday, Jan. 17, at Greendale High School. They are also gearing up for a potential performance at the National Cheerleaders Association & National Dance Alliance Collegiate Cheer and Dance Championship in Daytona Beach, Florida, in April.
