Are You A Cheer Squad Member & Why?

[Gibbke]

I've been in the Hawk cheersquad twice, 1997-98 at the Gabba. The first year we were seated behind them, and the main guy in a bit of a panic asked me and my nephew if we'd go and help hold up the banner. All good. The next year we were sitting on the hill at the other end, same guy walks past and recognizes us in the crowd, and asks us again if we want to go up. Not so good, apparently. While we were out there, before the run through, another guy who was now the actual main guy is standing there visibly freaking because there were only supposed to be 16 Hawk squad supporters allowed to set foot on the Gabba that night, and instead there were 28 civilians dressed in Hawk jumpers, all suddenly looking away and whistling nonchalantly at the exact same moment...

 

[bresker]

I used to wish that the cheer squad had some other material than 'Bulldogs! Bulldogs' to get the crowd going.

Then I sat behind them for the prelim v GWS and discovered that they do chants and songs for many of the individual players. But no-one else knows what the hell they are so they don't join in. Maybe they could hand out a pamphlet with the words in it or get them flashed up on the big screen.

After a lifetime of 'Bulldogs! Clap clap clap Bulldogs clap clap clap ' I'm ready to embrace the change. What rhymes with Bontempelli ? 'Hands like jelly' would work if he swaps names with Tom Boyd

 

[brucetiki]

Not a member, but sat in or near their area for away games and been to a banner night. It's VERY clicky.

They're dedicated (you have to be nuts to essentially build a banner from scratch every week), passionate and a little bit crazy. But they're pretty insular, and while they portray themselves as open to all, outsiders join them at their own risk.

They're also hotly political. Reckon their AGM's would make for entertaining viewing to see whose noses are out of joint...

 

[Starburns_]

I have a feeling you'd get more responses in the affirmative if you asked this on Bay 13.

Nowhere near as many as you'd get on the Carlton board.

Nice work shooping the 'messages on hold' signs out of their hands.

If we didn't have cheersquads, how would I ever know if we kicked a goal from an angle I can't see that well?
It's good to see them go up and then the rest of the ground slowly follows suit

Cheer squads are unreliable with that, they go too early, and if it misses, it takes a few seconds for that to become clear from their reactions.

The key is to watch the goal umpire.

I give you very short odds 99% of them post on here.

Doubt it's that many, reckon most cheer squad types would be posting on team specific sites like Bomberblitz, Punt Rd End, Saintsational, AussieFootyForums, etc.

 

[newcs]

The AFL have advised that, as of this year, all cheer squad members must have a Working with Children Check. The organisers have had to have them for ages, fair enough. But now every person that sits with the cheer squads must have one. It sounds a bit over the top to me.
Has something happened in one of the cheer squads that has caused this to happen ?

 

[Art Vandelay_]

If you have nothing to hide then you’ll be all sweet. For those that do then so what if they’re weeded out?

 

[Collingwood 4 eternity]

The AFL have advised that, as of this year, all cheer squad members must have a Working with Children Check. The organisers have had to have them for ages, fair enough. But now every person that sits with the cheer squads must have one. It sounds a bit over the top to me.
Has something happened in one of the cheer squads that has caused this to happen ?

In the row behind the cheer squad or in the bay either side of the cheer squad or even sitting next to anyone at any footy or sporting event you could have a released convicted murder , a pedophile , a wife/partner basher , a white collar criminal or a drug user/seller

The AFL cannot even keep their own house in order

 

[Tulip]

As in, you need a WWCC if you sit behind the goals?

 

[Kram]

If you have nothing to hide then you’ll be all sweet. For those that do then so what if they’re weeded out?

True, but how are they different to the thousands of other people in the stadium?

 

[Bluelegs]

As in, you need a WWCC if you sit behind the goals?

How would that even be enforced?

 

[newcs]

As in, you need a WWCC if you sit behind the goals?

That's correct, to simply sit there and watch the game you will need a WWCC.
Interested to see if any regular cheer squad faces go missing.

 

[74561347]

If you have nothing to hide then you’ll be all sweet. For those that do then so what if they’re weeded out?

do you have the same opinion on freedom of speech if you have nothing to say?

 

[LeverPuller]

That's correct, to simply sit there and watch the game you will need a WWCC.
Interested to see if any regular cheer squad faces go missing.

Surprises me that the league would jet in with that proposal just before the season started.

 

[ferrisb]

do you have the same opinion on freedom of speech if you have nothing to say?

Restricting freedom of speech hurts those that shouldn't be silenced as well as the ones that should.

A wwcc requirement only impacts those that should be excluded.

I completed a check last week. 5 mins online and a photo at the post office (free process for volunteers).

A tiny bit of a nuisance, but Meh. If you're too busy for that, you're probably too busy to be volunteering to play around with crepe paper and sticky tape on the weekends.....

 

[master bate]

Kids run out through the banner with teams but the cheersquad members aren't directly dealing with them? I can't really see any time kids are left with cheersquad members.

This sounds like a way to make sure the AFL and clubs aren't inadvertently linked to people they don't want to be. Cheersquads fit in a funny not quite official yet still responsible to clubs capacity. And I'm ok with that.

 

[Allikat]

Do you have any proof/where did you hear this? We've heard rumours at the beginning of the year and checked with the club who said it wasn't true.

 

[radiojake]

You can fail a WWCC through having past assault and/or weapons charges - it's not always pedo related

seems a bit over the top to me

 

[The_Reaper]

That's correct, to simply sit there and watch the game you will need a WWCC.
Interested to see if any regular cheer squad faces go missing.

If I were in a cheer squad I'd quit out of principle.

* that s**t.

 

[brizrider]

In the row behind the cheer squad or in the bay either side of the cheer squad or even sitting next to anyone at any footy or sporting event you could have a released convicted murder , a pedophile , a wife/partner basher , a white collar criminal or a drug user/seller

The AFL cannot even keep their own house in order

Things sound a bit rough in the Collingwood area.

 

[sprockets]

The AFL are becoming moralisers, much like the Greens.

 

[gillon]

If you are a good person you probably have nothing to worry about. For people who fail due to former discretions unrelated to child abuse, it's a very small price to pay.

Cheer squads are linked to clubs, of course the AFL would want to ensure anybody associated with them is "clean". There is nothing wrong with that. They obviously can't do that with regular people who attend.

Almost no negatives to this.

 

[Spongebob]

Not sure if this is solely the AFL’s decision.

Through my sporting association we were advised that the need for cards had been widened to just about anyone interacting with children in a formal capacity. Previously it had been more for coaches, team managers etc.

As the cheer squads are sponsored by the clubs, they likely fall under such an increased requirement (speculation).

Info from association website:
*As of the 1st August 2017, the Working with Children Act has changed. 'Working with Children' will include anyone who has oral, written or electronic communication with children, as well as face-to-face or physical contact, with children. Further details can be found at workingwithchidren.vic.gov.au under the heading of 'Changes to Legislation'.

 

[Beutbrute]

If you've got nothing to hide... you still need to get down to the post office during post office open times to get your check. A bit of an inconvenience if you're working business hours and aren't close to a post office. Minor inconvenience though.

Do the players need to have WWCC as they spend times at schools doing clinics and the like?

 

[Bluelegs]

If you've got nothing to hide... you still need to get down to the post office during post office open times to get your check. A bit of an inconvenience if you're working business hours and aren't close to a post office. Minor inconvenience though.

Do the players need to have WWCC as they spend times at schools doing clinics and the like?

100% the players need WWCC.

 

[Collingwood 4 eternity]

100% the players need WWCC.

If players needed WWCC back in 1993 when Dustin Fletcher was playing at Essendon , all of his team mates would have need it to be allowed near him , because he was still at school