My Two Cents
Who is in charge of GBHS athletics?

My mom once told me, "The only person you can depend on is yourself and the truth will set you free." This advice has been proven to be true to me a few times in my life but a most recent experience really made me believe this and take it true to my heart.

I am writing this viewpoint to tell the truth and to make future athletes and parents aware that no matter your talent level, what your values are, how hard you try, how high your grades are, and who your friends are, cheerleading at its highest level, Varsity Cheerleading at Gulf Breeze High School, continues to be an Insiders Game. The cheerleading program at GBHS uses non selection as punishment and abuse of position to "even scores" instead of fostering the spirit of GBHS in a way that encourages good sportsmanship, positive role models and rule-following students.

At the organizational meeting that preceded try-outs, all participants were presented with vital rules and regulations were discussed. The process of the try-out, as well as whom the judges would be, was promised to be fair and impartial. Three judges were to be brought from outside the Pensacola area, they were not to know any of the participants nor were any of the participants to know them. The GBHS Principal, standing beside the GBHS Varsity Cheerleading Coach/Sponsor, stood up and reassured all of the parents and girls that, 2007 tryouts were going to be fair and impartial. The 2007 squad was to be selected with these principles: zero tolerance for drug/alcohol use, zero tolerance for inappropriate pictures on Myspace and Facebook and a minimum grade point average. When asked, the GBHS Varsity Coach/Sponsor did not have a set minimum score or a set number of cheerleaders who would be selected.

At try-outs, every participant had a number attached to her required navy blue shorts for the purpose of maintaining anonymity. When the judges walked in many of the participants were surprised and astonished to see as a judge a former Varsity Cheerleader who cheered in 2001, 2000, 1999, and 1998 at GBHS. This "judge" had even coached many of the participants while they were in the GBSA Cheerleading program. Some of the cheerleading candidates told those responsible for the clinic that this judge was known to them and identified her by name. Before try-outs this information was given to the Varsity Cheerleading Coach/Sponsor who defied her own rules and did not refuse the judge before the tryouts, as promised. Try-outs resumed as if it was anonymous and as if this former GB Varsity Cheerleader judge knew no one.

As an eight year veteran of the Gulf Breeze Sports Association Cheerleading program, two time NCA All-American, a UCA All- Star, a GBHS cheerleader my Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior year; Honor Roll Student, 2004- 05; GBHS Tennis Player and GBHS National Honor Society member, National Spanish Honor Society Vice President, and Math Honor Society member, I felt very prepared and most qualified to participate in the try-out for the Varsity squad. After all I was already a GBHS Varsity Cheerleader and my talents and skills had not suddenly changed over night. As part of the competition each participant was required to attend the try-out clinic during the week of try-outs. Daily attendance was mandatory. Everything asked of me was done and every rule was followed.

This is not sour grapes but I was a participant who did not even meet the minimum score that was established after the fact. In fact, I received one of the lowest scores out of twenty-one participants! The process of selection of the varsity cheerleading squad was not only unfair but blatantly mean spirited, not only because the cheerleading sponsor failed to follow her own rules and the Principal and other adults involved in this fiasco refused to act responsibly by stepping up to the plate. Instead they selectively enforced the rules. What is the purpose of the rules, the parent meeting and paying for judges that are to be anonymous? An appeal was taken to the Principal and Vice Principal of GBHS, who concluded that, after conducting an investigation that consisted of talking to the Varsity Cheerleading Coach/Sponsor, there was no remedy and that the process had been "fair." I and several other talented and deserving cheerleaders were "lowballed" and "punished" by scoring that was prejudicial.

After living in this community my entire life, I have never been so let down and taken advantage of. My disappointment stems from the fact that I have always played by the rules but the rules for this most important event in my life were not followed by the leaders of the GBHS cheerleading program and the high school. I can handle rejection but it is difficult to handle when the process of selection was unfair and rules were not followed. Yet this is done year after year at GBHS.

Another lesson I have learned is even the people that you look up to as leaders, teachers, coaches and protectors of truth can choose to look away if the stakes are too high for them.

I hope that I never choose to look away in my adulthood.