Congratulations to Bangor cheerleaders

It was with much dismay that my family and I read your article “Bangor captures regional crown (BDN, Jan. 25),” the Class A Eastern Maine cheerleading championship.

To use a quote from your article, to the “untrained eye” this was a great article and represented the facts. However, to an educated fan in the stands, we are questioning if your reporter was even in the Bangor Auditorium Friday evening.

Not only did the reporter give inaccurate scores of the preliminary round, he describes one team’s routine and said it was another team’s. This article goes on to browbeat the winning team and I quote “while some of the aerials may not have the overall difficulty that is included in the Brewer and Gardiner routines, the Rams hit their marks and had the crowd of approximately 2,000 roaring.”

It would appear that the crowd would have written a more accurate article. You continue to realize that it is obvious that this reporter has no clue about the varsity sport of cheerleading when he states that 17 cheerleaders were on the mat as you can’t have 17 cheerleaders on the mat in Maine – only 16 performers can participate!

The unfortunate reality is that cheerleading in this state is still in the Middle Ages. We have yet to step up to the rest of the country and recognize that it is truly a varsity sport and it requires as much if not more hard work and dedication as other varsity sports.

What remains a fact is that most people out there don’t realize where cheerleading has come in the past 20 years. Do you realize that there are such things as cheering scholarships at colleges? Do you know that there are such things as national championship tournaments in this country? Do you know that cheerleading is one of the largest growing sports in the United States?

To all participants of Friday’s and Saturday’s competition, they are all awesome teams that put a lot of time, effort, determination, and dedication to their sport! This is a sport that requires many talents such as dance, tumbling, balance, strength, and a great attitude.

Therefore, I challenge the Bangor Daily News to become educated in the world of cheerleading. Yes, you can become better educated right here in Maine! Not only do you have several great teams within this state and within your own region, you have several all-star teams within this state.

Mr. Perryman, may I suggest to you that you interview several of Maine’s cheerleaders to see what it takes to become the best in your sport and wipe out the misconception that cheering is just a bunch of people who want to look pretty or a bunch of prima donnas.

Congratulations to the Bangor Rams for winning the Class A Eastern Maine championship!

Laurel Wentworth

Bangor

Title IX correct, but implementation poor

You can tell when a sports columnist (Gary Thorne, BDN Jan. 17) knows their subject matter and when they are partially informed.

As a parent, booster, coach, official and spectator, I for one, 100 percent support Title IX and its purposes, and 100 percent disapprove how it’s been implemented by colleges and universities in our country.

There are certain college sports that have been untouched by Title IX: football and basketball. Why? Money!

These sports are cash cows and the administration and athletic directors do not want to change those precious source of funds.

So how do they keep in compliance with Title IX: cut men’s minor sports and add women’s rowing where none existed.

A recent poll was asked by college wrestlers if they should participate in their sport if there were “no scholarships” and they said “yes.” I wonder why this is the case? They want the opportunity and they are being denied. Period.

As parents and taxpayers, why should we see this happen to our young men who have participated in a sport since they were 5 years old, only to be turned away by a few folks that want to row and who never participated in the event, not to mention they never were on any athletic team in high school. Where is the justification? How can we explain that it will all work out, and how do we explain to our youth that these administrators know what they’re doing?

Women need to have the same offering as men. Colleges have for too long funded men’s sports and left women to fend for themselves on little or no budget. I am appalled at how these administrators can justify they are meeting their mission of providing for our young people. We need to fully support women’s sports and battle for their cause.

They all need the opportunity. To Gary these questions:

. How many men’s wrestling programs, men’s swim, track and field, gymnastics and golf have been eliminated?

. How many football and basketball programs have been eliminated to meet Title IX goals?

. How much research have you really done on this subject area?

. How can you prove to us as readers you really know your subject and not ride on emotion?

One final point: Trent Lott was wrong and Gary is hiding behind the hype on this subject area to justify how Title IX is currently implemented. Shame on you, Gary! Please enlighten me!

John D. Cole

Portland