In recent weeks, CHS cheerleaders have been restricted on when and how they can practice and perform. (John Fisken photo)
Philosophical differences seem to be at the heart of the ongoing dissension in the Coupeville High School cheer program.
Head coach Cheridan Eck was removed from running practices and game performances after students made complaints to school administrators.
Today’s football game against Bellevue Christian will be the third straight game Eck has not been on the sideline, with neither the coach or CHS Principal Duane Baumann commenting.
The Wolf cheerleaders, who performed at the previous two home games with school administrators monitoring them (they could not stunt without a certified coach present), are not traveling to Lake Washington today.
School administration have said that decision was due to a “scheduling conflict.”
The complaints, as outlined in a letter obtained by Coupeville Sports, center primarily around alleged “harsh comments.”
There are no accusations of anything illegal happening, instead focusing on rifts between the coach and her athletes.
Having said that, it is important to note CHS does not recognize cheer as a sport, instead viewing it as an activity.
That puts the program under the guidance of Baumann and Assistant Principal Melissa Rohr, and not Athletic Director Willie Smith, who is in charge of the school’s other 10 head coaches.
The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association leaves it up to each member school to make the distinction on cheer for themselves.
Most schools opt to have their cheer program under the sports banner only if they are a competition squad.
While the Wolves have competed in the past, winning a state title in 2006, they have only been a sideline performance group in recent years.
Multiple sources have confirmed cheerleaders were interviewed by school administrators, but all involved have been instructed by the school not to discuss the matter.
Frustration over the ongoing uncertainty continues to build.
On one side are those who believe the school should be allowed to operate in privacy, while the other side counters that CHS is a public, taxpayer-funded school and transparency is vital.
While Eck is currently suspended, and no decision on her final status has been issued, it is the first time in recent memory a Wolf coach has been sidelined.
The complaints, as outlined in the letter and in discussions with parents, point to a frustration among some cheerleaders and parents with what they perceive as the program’s culture and how it is currently implemented by the coach.
They center around allegations of favoritism and verbal slights as well as unhappiness with “last minute” changes regarding things such as uniforms, which they feel adds an unnecessary burden to already busy lives.
Several parents have said they, and their daughters, would like to see cheer recognized as a sport by CHS, but it is unclear what, if anything, that would change.
If cheerleaders were to undertake that as a movement, though, and go through the process of applying to the school for a change in status, parents see an opportunity for a positive to emerge from an otherwise negative situation.
“It could be a real learning moment for the girls,” one parent said. “They work as hard as the other ‘athletes’ and this could be a way for them to make real change within their school.”
Underneath it all is disappointment at seeing the season slip away.
“We spend a lot of money on cheerleading,” said a parent. “Everyone wants to see our daughters have the chance to be out there performing.”
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