Scarsdale Cheerleaders Short on Funds to Attend the National Chamionships

Dear Scarsdale10583.com: I am writing  to you, in total frustration.  It has come to my attention that the Scarsdale Varsity Cheerleaders, who have worked tirelessly over the past 5 months both cheering for the football team, and practicing and competing in local, state and regional competitions,with the dream of making it to the National Championships, will not be attending, DESPITE the fact that they came in first in last weeks competition in Pennsylvania l which qualified them to compete in Orlando Florida mid February at the  National Competition in Orlando.

I completely understand that economically times are very difficult and that economically this trip is a challenge for some families whose children are on the squad .  I JUST DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY ARE WE JUST GIVING UP.  The amount of money we need to raise in order to send those few children is nominal and would not take much effort.  In fact if every member  in the Senior Class of 2010 donated $10 instead of eating out or ordering in lunch 1 day of one week in January, the cheerleaders  would have the money they need to attend. Then the Senior Class of 2010  could say that the Cheerleaders went to Nationals and maybe even won the year they graduated. Or, If every chid in the school gave $2.25 they would have enough money to go and represent our community.  There are so many options. All it takes is the desire not to give up and some creativity.  Why can't Maroon and White donate 1/2 the money  and have the girls raise the other half through bake sales or a  $5.00 raffle of donated items like ipods or gift cards donated by people or local stores who have an interest in making sure they can participate. 

I am a graduate of Edgemont HS and was Captain of the Cheerleaders in 1979.  I have two girls in the senior class who are beyond appalled that in this community of abundance that their friends on the squad, who have committed so much of their time are not going to this competition.  I can tell you that in 1979 I wanted nothing more than to have a squad good enough to make it to regionals, let alone Nationals. I did not but we DO.  It is wrong in a community like ours where with a little effort any goal can be reached, that we are just giving up on these girls.

Please let me state that I DO NOT have a child  on the squad but I am a huge supporter of cheerleaders and High School  sports in general.  We should be so proud of these girls, that we turn Scarsdale UPSIDE DOWN to make sure they go.  It saddens me to say but I am quite sure, that if it were the Varsity Boys Basketball, Lacrosse or Football teams that had both this opportunity and this challenge, that somehow the money would be raised. IE..$750,000 for the turf field.

Scarsdale  has had such bad press over the past few years that to give up the opportunity to send our talented Varsity Cheerleaders, who in reality  commit more hours to their sport than the children in any other sport in the HS, as representatives of our wonderful community is a travesty.  There MUST be some way to raise the money.  I respectfully request that we do not give up on these girls and that we commit to  making it happen!


Respectfully,

Beth Warren
Scarsdale Resident
Mother of two Seniors Class of 2010