Cheer clinic generates youth spirit

Chandal Geerdes/News Editor

For over 20 years, Cedar Falls High School and the cheerleaders have hosted a cheerleading clinic for kids kindergarten through ninth grade.

Cheer coach Tami Doyle has been coaching CFHS cheerleading for 20 plus years now and has done the cheer clinic every year.

At the cheer clinic on Saturday, Oct. 15, the kids were split into groups, kindergarten through second and third through ninth.

Each group learned its own cheers, chants and dances.

During the clinic the kids received spirit ribbons, a clinic T-shirt and a spirit tattoo.

“[The clinic] generates a lot of tiger spirit,” coach Tami Doyle said.

The cheer clinic is a very popular event for the high school.

Doyle has even expressed that she receives inquires from parents as early as August.

“We send the fliers out to the Cedar Falls Elementary Schools in the fall.

For other schools they get word by mouth.

Anybody is welcome to the clinic,” Doyle said.

Each year the clinic has averaged 250 to 300 participants.

“It’s my third year teaching at the clinic,” senior Katie Gettman said.

“When I was little I participated in it, and I always had a fun time.”

All the fall cheerleaders were a part of the clinic to teach the kids cheers, chants and dances for them to perform at a home football game.

“It’s the one time they get to be the leaders and show what they know,” Doyle said.

The cheerleaders also come out the of the experiences knowing if they like or dislike teaching children.

“It’s fun to help little kids cheer.

They look up to you, and they want to be just like you when they grow up, and it’s so cute,” junior Abigail Weiland said.

All of the participants have a blast learning the new things at the clinic and voice this throughout the week.

“I even have teachers from other schools tell me they hear the kids’ do the chants and cheers they’ve learned all week long,” Doyle said.

Each participant would agree that having fun, and dancing is there favorite part of the day.

“I liked the sound of it.

It was really really fun, there was lots of games and dancing,” cheer clinic participant Jenna said.

On Friday, Oct. 21 the participants will get the opportunity to perform at the home football game in the Dome.