The University of Northern Colorado Cheer program is heavily underfunded and underappreciated. The Athletics Department funds the program a small amount, but it does not cover the cost of what the athletes need. Most students view the program as just a spirit group, but they undergo the same guidelines and procedures as any other sport. The cheer program at UNC should receive an equal or similar amount of funding compared to other sports.
Mackenzie Green, the head coach of UNC Cheer, says that the Athletics Department funds the program $8,500. The fund is allocated towards uniforms, travel, equipment, food and team expenses. Green expresses that the money given from the department isn’t enough to cover the cost of each athlete.
“For 35 athletes that is only $242.42 per athlete to spend over 8 months,” Green said.
According to the UNC Cheerleading handbook, each athlete is required to pay an initial fee of $650. If an athlete quits, they are still required to pay the dues. This fee is for uniforms and gear such as shoes, poms, bows, warm-ups, liners and more.
eSports Insurance provides the average cost for each athlete to participate in cheer. While this isn’t the actual cost of what the athletes on the UNC Cheer program pay, it reflects how costly the sport is.
Before this year, the initial fee fluctuated. In 2022, the initial fee was approximately $500. However, Green was not the head coach at the time. UNC alumnus Romero Rivera was the head coach from 2021 to 2023. A current student-athlete from the team who wishes to remain anonymous recounts the reasoning behind Rivera’s short term.
“He took our money and ran basically,” the student-athlete said. “The money we gave him at the beginning of the year was supposed to go towards all of our gear, but then he just disappeared.”
Since then, Green promised to make sure the athletes got what they paid for when she took over for the 2023-2024 season. To ease the athletes, the initial fee for that year was $250. As the team grew the following year, so did the price. Last year, the athletes initial fee for the season was $400.
Aside from the initial fee, the program is currently fundraising to go to USA Collegiate Championships in Anaheim, California. The USA Collegiate Championships is a once-a-year competition for cheer and pom programs competing in different divisions. UNC Cheer is only allowed to bring 23 athletes to compete.
If the team didn’t fundraise, each athlete would have to pay approximately $1,200 to compete. The amount will go towards travel, lodging and competition costs. However, the program has been fundraising since August of this year to help take some of the financial burden off of the athletes. Athletes also have the option to fundraise individually to help with the cost.
Earlier this month, Green calculated the amount due for each athlete after fundraising. She said that each athlete will have to pay $950 by the beginning of January. Nomaris Tejera, a student-athlete on the team, notes that the athletics department should recognize this financial burden.
“Cheer is self-funded, a lot of us work jobs, do school and on top of that, go to practices,” Tejera said. “All the games, all the events we go to is a lot and they should acknowledge what we do.”
UNC Cheer has practices four times a week, starting at 5:30 a.m. and going until 7:30 a.m. They attend football, wrestling, women’s volleyball and both men’s and women’s basketball games throughout the school year. Athletes are required to attend two to three games a week. On top of that, they attend all school and community events if asked.
Just like most sports, athletes do have the option to quit the team. This would eliminate the stress they endure with their busy schedule and the financial burden placed upon them. However, Tejera expressed that despite this, she’s enduring it because of how much she loves the sport.
Between the financial burden, games, practices and events, athletes like Tejera are frequently stressed. The weight of it all is hard to carry. Dulce Amaya notes what she’s beginning to see amongst her teammates.
“We’re more busy than every before,” Amaya said. “A lot of my teammates are going through stress and burnout.”
With the blood, sweat and tears the team has been practicing for the USA Spirit Nationals since August. Amaya is hoping that after they compete, the Athletics Department will acknowledge the team.
“We’re hoping that the Athletics Department will finally recognize us as an actual sport,” Amaya said.
Head coach Green expressed that while it shouldn’t take competing to receive acknowledgement, she is hoping that things change in the eyes of the department. She would like for the athletes not to have to pay a large amount to do a sport they’re passionate about.
Alesea Evangelista-Flores is a student at the University of Northern Colorado.
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