RLEADERS_ Breaking A 17-Year Tradition The selection process for the Bison cheerleaders provided the. first of several innovations to begin the year. Instead of the traditional popular vote by the student body, this y.ear's squad was chosen by a committee consisting of faculty, coaches, a football and basketball player and a student. These judges rated each individual on a point system, and those with the most paints at the end of competition were chosen. Changes were also made in the qualifications for membership on the squad . This year marked the first time in seventeen years that males have been on the squad. Also, in order to involve the freshman class more deeply , the cheerleaders added two freshmen to their ranks . Sophomore Mark Evans was chosen head cheerleader, assisted by junior Brenda Hounsel as cocaptain. The squad met a week prior to the beginning of classes to prepare fo r the first football game and to perfect cheers. During basketball season, the group cheered two or three times weekly. On weeks when there were no games, the cheerleaders met at least once each week to stay in practice. Cheering at every ballgame was on ly the most obvious of the cheerleaders' responsibilities. The group conducted various activities such as chapel skits and pep rallies. For the teams, the cheerleaders provided refreshment once a week during the different sports seasons. "Our main goal was to get everyone involved in creating school spirit," stated Mark Evans. "The chapel skits he lped school spirit a lot and got the student .body behind the cheerleaders." 1. DR. JOE (alias Jim Davenport) reveals his original cheer to the chapel audience duro ing a skit performed by the cheerleading squad . 2. CHEERLEADERS. Kneeling, Umbe rger. Front Ro w: Adkins, Myers. Second Row: Hounse/ ·Co ·Captain , Daven· port , Musgraves . Back Row: Hawkins, Evans·Captain, Bonneau. 3. MEGAPHONE in hand, April Hawkins teaches the crowd a new chant, giving the Bisons that extra suppflrt they need to score. 4. FOLLOWING a Bison touchdown, Rene Bonneau leads the fans in the Harding Fight Song. 5. E. C. UMBERGER CHEERS en· thusiastically as the extra point is made and added to the scoreboard. 6. JOINING the Bison Boosters , cheerleaders Leanne Myers , Rene Bonneau , E. C. Umberger and April Hawkins lead Harding students in cheers at the first pep rally of the year on the front lawn . 7. AS THE BISONS aduance towards the goal line , Stacy Adkins and Leanne Myers bring the fans to their feet with a rousing chee r. Cheerleaders ~ 133
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