Everyone Makes The Team

I remember when I didn’t make the elite Park Electric bantam hockey team in Edmonton, Canada. I was disappointed/sad/angry, but the truth is I wasn’t good enough. That’s life.

In East Hanover, New Jersey, Hanover Park High School has decided to let anyone join the cheerleading squad. The new policy is in response to complaints by some parents who felt their children were unfairly cut during tryouts.

While I understand the desire to be inclusive, it seems counterintuitive. Cheerleading is a demanding, dangerous sport. Not everyone has the talent to lift people in the air, perform high flying flips, and all the other cheerleading moves.

Plus, the squad has limited space. What if 300 people wanted to join? Does an average school have the budget to accommodate that many kids? We’d have to move the stadium seats back another 100 yards to accommodate the crowds of cheerleaders at every game.