DECATUR -- A key to getting fans motivated in any sporting event is an outstanding cheer team. They are sometimes the forgotten element in the sports world but, for the Decatur Bulldog athletic program, the element has risen up from the ashes and has become a vital part of the home-game spectacle.
This year, the Decatur program decided to enlist the help of a professional to take on the process of rebuilding the cheer team. Cheer coach Chelsey Robinson took the position in May.
Robinson is no stranger to cheer teams, having been on the state championship team at Gentry a few years ago. The Gentry team went on to national competition but failed to win. But that did not stop Robinson from participating in the sport she most dearly loves. After graduation from Gentry, Robinson made a long move to the Sunshine State where she attended Florida State University in Tallahassee and was a member of the Seminoles cheerleading team for two years.
After college, Robinson got married and moved back to Arkansas. She thought her cheering days were over.
"OK, my cheer tour is done," Robinson said. "I wanted to start looking for a coaching position. There were a lot of different ones out there, but I had one problem."
Robinson holds no teaching degrees, so that excludes her from a paid position. However, because of her love of the sport, she looked for a volunteer position.
"The money isn't important to me," Robinson said. "It's just something I love to do."
While searching for a position, two schools on the Arkansas Highway 59 corridor became available. Siloam Springs offered her a position around the same time the Decatur job became available. It was a tough decision, but the final outcome was that she chose the Decatur program.
"I think Decatur needed me more," Robinson said.
To build a new team, Robinson held try outs in late May. She wanted to build a small squad but the turnout was greater than expected. She chose to go with a bigger team -- the current team has eleven members.
The team practices for two hours, three days a week. Part of that time is working on new moves; the other is spent practicing tumbling.
"They do a lot of work, probably more than they are used to," Robinson said. "But I think that is where they get their drive to practice. They realize that to have a good team they need to practice."
She worked with the new team throughout the summer, teaching them new drills and formations. During the Decatur Barbecue on Aug. 2, the team gave a glimpse of a few of those routines. When they broke into the two tier pyramids, the crowds stared in amazement. This was but a preview of what Decatur Bulldog fans would see at their first home game.
Throughout the football season, the cheer team showed off its newly-found skills, often traveling for hours to get to an away game. The end result was a cheer team that the whole community of Decatur was proud of.
Robinson plans to take the team to contests in the near future. She know that this is a building process that may take a few years before the team is ready for that kind of commitment.
"There is talk about becoming a competitive squad," Robinson states. "It a matter of fundraising. It is a really big expense and also requires people to keep practicing. Right now they have come a long way, but there is still a longer way to go."
As the Decatur cheer team members prepare for the basketball season, they continue to work on expanding their repertoire. With Chelsey Robinson's continued expertise, the team will meet any challenge and continue to dazzle its hometown and visitors alike.
Sports on 11/26/2014