Cheers/Chants

[rhineaux]

_ This is not an option. It must be done. This stuff makes a big difference in what family members at a game remember as to whether our games are fun or boring. It will pay dividends. It must be done. _

Well, I got a response earlier this morning, and a very good response at that...

I am the Spirit Group Coordinator, in addition to being a program advisor for student activities in the University Program Council. I was just hired to fill this position in June of this year. Prior to June I was the choreographer for the Ragin’ Jazz Dance Team for the past 2 ½ years, a position I continue today. I certainly appreciate your support of our University and as a graduate of UL I also have a strong desire to see our University excel in all areas. I have been working very closely with administration to make changes necessary to encourage our fans to participate vocally in Ragin’ Cajun Athletics.

Ironically, some cheers you brought up in your email have already been implemented in our program over the summer. Specifically, the yea rouge cheer and spelling “cajuns” after the fight song. I have plans for many other crowd oriented cheers, but so much of what we do involves other departments as well. So changes will be made over time, as I work to rebuild our cheer program.

I encourage you to continue showing your support and encourage others around you to do the same. Not just when we do cheers, but standing up when the fight song is played and singing along. Also, the cheerleaders will no longer cheer on the student side. With the location of the student section directly behind the visitor’s bench, the cheerleaders are not able to stand in front of the student section. So this year they will be cheering on the home side.

I have also been working on improving our mascot program as well, so you will see Cayenne more involved in games, events and community functions.

Again, thank you for your email and we hope to hear you this Saturday at the 1st home football game.

Michelle

Michelle Bernard
Spirit Groups/Program Advisor
University of Louisiana-Lafayette
337-482-5108

---

I'm going to send her a reply this afternoon when i get a chance thanking her for her time and hard work, and commenting a little further on some of the comments and suggestions you guys put forth. I'll also try to probe a little as to what some of the road blocks in creating/performing the chants and cheers and stuff, and report back here. Perhaps this sort of beaurocratic BS is from an old regime, and the new regime isn't aware of it, and we can make enough calls and e-mails to get it taken out of there. Just another thing that we've never heard of and is micromanaged way too much for its own good, and subsequently prevents growth and progress of the school. Its a shame that this sort of thing has worked its way down so far as to effect something as miniscule as cheerleading.

I'll report back when I hear back from her.
Thanks again for your suggestions.

[CajunCherokee]

Awesome. Great response and it's a relief to find out that someone appears to be on top of it. If you are standing still, you are dead. We must continue to get better at everything, including cheers.

[Damon]

Please do NOT do "WE ARE ... LOUISIANA"
It's both a rip off and hs too many sylables. Remember the drunk fans, please.

K.I.S.S.

[Corndog308]

Now that this has also kinda become a suggestion thread, one of the ones I had thought about before was spelling/yelling out C-A-J-U-N-S --CAJUNS, after the fight song is played. It's kind of a take off of what the Philly Eagles do at the end of their fight song, but we have the perfect nickname to do it.

Isn't that what the Tiggers do in BR? I'd rather be a little bit more original.

[CajunCherokee]

Please do NOT do "WE ARE ... LOUISIANA"
It's both a rip off and hs too many sylables. Remember the drunk fans, please.

K.I.S.S.

Agreed.

[Turbine]

...as I work to rebuild our cheer program.

Very interesting and telling.

...I have also been working on improving our mascot program as well, so you will see Cayenne more involved in games, events and community functions.

OK so you win some, you lose some.

[Zeebart21]

Awesome. Great response and it's a relief to find out that someone appears to be on top of it. If you are standing still, you are dead. We must continue to get better at everything, including cheers.

You'll find alot more people "on top of it" with the hiring of the 10 new athletic staffers.

Its just beginning to get good now.

Z

[CrazyCajun]

_ Well, I got a response earlier this morning, and a very good response at that...


---

I'm going to send her a reply this afternoon when i get a chance thanking her for her time and hard work, and commenting a little further on some of the comments and suggestions you guys put forth. I'll also try to probe a little as to what some of the road blocks in creating/performing the chants and cheers and stuff, and report back here. Perhaps this sort of beaurocratic BS is from an old regime, and the new regime isn't aware of it, and we can make enough calls and e-mails to get it taken out of there. Just another thing that we've never heard of and is micromanaged way too much for its own good, and subsequently prevents growth and progress of the school. Its a shame that this sort of thing has worked its way down so far as to effect something as miniscule as cheerleading.

I'll report back when I hear back from her.
Thanks again for your suggestions. _

a good suggestion to her would be to print out some flyers to hand out at the gates. HAve these flyer ask the fans to participate and explain what they should cheer and when.

[Hammer58]

_ You'll find alot more people "on top of it" with the hiring of the 10 new athletic staffers.

Its just beginning to get good now.

Z _

I don't know if you remember her, Z, but Michelle was a big part of the Fan Day planning and execution.

[USLJim]

_ Michelle Bernard is over the spirit groups. She took over the position after Ross Walters left. Give her a call or email her. 337-482-5108 michellebernard@louisiana.edu _

CajunMAMA, if you have any influence with Ms Bernard, we certainly could use some help in getting our request noted.
Geaux Cajuns.