2nd Annual Friends, Family & Alumni Event!

The 2009-2010 Cheerleading Team hosted its 2nd Annual Friends, Family & Alumni Event on October 17, 2009. This year we welcomed back over 50 loyal fans for an informal meet and greet with the current squad. Alumni cheerleaders even joined the current squad right on the sidelines cheering on the Crimson! The event more than doubled in size from its debut last year, and it was amazing getting to meet the friends and family that get behind us 100% during the season!

Please contact coach Capasso at cheer@hcs.harvard.edu if you wish to be added to contact list for more information regarding next year's event. We hope you can all make it back to campus to join us in coming years!

Congratulations to the members of the 2009-2010 Harvard cheer squad!

After a two day tryout clinic which brought over 30 Harvard Students to Gordon Indoor Track hoping for a spot on the 2009-2010 team, the Harvard Cheerleading Program is excited to announce the new squad comprised of 21 student athletes! Thank you to all those who came out for the squad, and congrats to those that made the team!

Captains:

• Alexandra Mihalek ('10), Geoff Oberhofer ('10), Cassandra Snow ('10)

Members

• Linda Chao ('10)
• Stella Barth ('10)
• Jasmine Bolton ('11)
• Tian Wen ('11)
• Liz Paisner ('12)
• Olga Tkachenko ('12)
• Michael Bachmann ('12)
• Zavier Catoe ('12)
• Alex Almore ('12)
• Angie Morales ('13)
• Brecia Young ('13)
• Allyson McGinty ('13)
• Charuta Gavankar ('13)
• Jonathan Oakes ('13)
• Gabby Malatesta ('13)
• Trisha Mathelier ('13)
• Candice Porter ('13)

Harvard Cheerleaders place 7th at NCA College Nationals Debut

April 11, 2009 - Daytona Beach, FL - The Harvard Cheerleading team made history this year as the first team in the program's history to travel to the NCA College Cheerleading National Championships. The squad competed against the top Division 1 Cheerleading programs in the country and was proud to walk away with a 7th place overall finish and a 3rd place finish in the Challenge Cup. Aside from the competition, the squad was asked to participate in a photo shoot for American Cheerleader magazine and will be featured in an upcoming issue. Team members had an opportunity to both compete against and mingle with some of the best cheerleaders in the nation, and the experience has brought Harvard cheerleading to a new level. The cheerleading community was excited to see that Harvard not only had the best academics in the nation, but also had a strong and talented cheer squad - and we are excited to return next year to improve upon our 7th place finish! Congrats to the members of the 2008-2009 squad who made this historical debut appearance!

Harvard Cheerleaders Receive a Bid to the 2009 NCA National Collegiate Cheerleading Championships!!! - January 9, 2009

After three months of hard work putting a bid tape together, the Harvard Cheerleading Team's sweat has paid off as the National Cheerleaders Association has awarded the squad with a bid to the 2009 NCA National Collegiate Cheerleading Championships! This is a first in the history of Harvard Cheerleading and if we are able to make the trip, we believe we will be the first Ivy League Cheerleading squad ever represented at this national competition. We hope to join our Crimson Dance Team (currently the reigning 5th place D-1 Dance Team) in representing Harvard University in Daytona Beach, FL April 8th-11th.

We are currently working hard fundraising for this trip and we are half way there. This is a once in a life time chance to pave the road for future Harvard (as well as all Ivy League) cheerleading squads - but we still need to raise the funds in order to go! Every little bit helps and if you are as excited about the progress this team has made and want to help us achieve this goal - please donate to our friends account! You can click here to access the online giving and your donation is not only tax-deductible but will also go a long way to making our dream a reality! If you have any questions or suggestions on other ways to help us raise money, please contact Coach Capasso directly - we are open to all ideas!

We hope, with your help, to make this trip in April and represent Harvard University in a new athletic event - the NCA National Collegiate Cheerleading Championships!!!

Harvard Cheerleading Recognition!

On December 11, 2008, the three senior captains of the Harvard Cheerleading Squad were recognized by the All-American Football Association for their contribution to Harvard Athletics. The event was held at the Newton Marriott and was a Black-Tie affair. Lucas Toffoli, Christi Butler and Devon Hein each received a plaque for their achievements and had the opportunity to address the attendees and further promote the work they do as members of the Harvard Cheerleading Squad. This was a great honor both for them as well as for our program and we congratulate them on their achievements as members of the squad!

Harvard Cheerleading honored as Pop Warner Collegiate Spotlight

The Harvard Cheerleading squad and the Dance Team have been selected as the collegiate Spotlight by the Pop Warner Association. Each month Pop Warner selects a different collegiate program to highlight in an effort to get athletes involved in Cheerleading excited about continuing the sport in college. Please click here to read the interview given by Coach Capasso.

Harvard Cheerleaders approved for Minor H designation

December 16, 2008 - After a 4 month approval process, the various boards at Harvard University have unanimously agreed to give the members of the Harvard Cheerleading team offiical recognition in the form of the Minor H. This designation is given to Junior Varsity athletes and after a petition filed in September the boards have recognized the hard work the members of the cheerleading team put in and have extended this recognition to them as well.

In order to be eligible for a Minor H, team members must abide be the guidelines laid out in the proposal which include game attendance, competition participation and community service. At the end of each year Coach Capasso will submit a list of candidates that have satisfied the requirements for Minor H and these candidates will be awarded their letter. With this honor comes access to the Varisty Club and its various resources, access to certain on campus facilities reserved only for athletes, and the ability to obtain a Major H or Varsity letter upon completion of four years of participation on the cheerleading squad.

Harvar Athletic Director Bob Scalise first suggested this idea to the squad and with the hard work of Coach Capasso, the team members and the athletic department staff, we have succeeded in gaining this recognition which is yet another step forward in futhering the success of the program. Congrats to all team members for this opportunity!

THE GAME

11/17/07 – The Harvard cheerleaders traveled with the football team down to Yale University for the 124th playing of The Game. The Crimson pounded the Bulldogs to the tune of 37-6 but the action did not stop with the whistle. At the start of halftime, one drunken Yalie boldly attempted to steal the Harvard Flag from the sidelines in front of the cheerleaders. He was quickly pursued by five Harvard Cheerleaders; Captains Amanda McCoy (’08) and Danielle Rutherford (’08) as well as Robbie Helbling (’11), Geoff Oberhofer (’10) and Lucas Toffoli (’09). The Yalie was gang tackled on the 20 yard line and the flag was swiftly taken from his grips while the males pinned him to the ground awaiting arrest. Captains McCoy and Rutherford quickly returned to the sidelines proudly waving the Harvard flag and showing the crowd yet again who the best team in the Ivy League truly is.

Lesson of the day: If you mess with the cheerleaders, be prepared to pay the price.

(note: both this Yalie and a second Yalie who attempted the same ploy in the 4th quarter in front of several event security and police officers (he failed to make it ten feet) were arrested and taken off the field in handcuffs.)

_________________________________________________

Harvard Crimson Magazine FM - April 23, 2008 - http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=523234

ESPN.Com – November 19, 2007 http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=neumann/071119&sportCat=ncf

Boston Globe – Saturday November 17, 2007 – photograph - the cheerleaders are seen in action at the Harvard/Yale Pep Rally that took place Thursday night, November 15, 2007.

LA Times – November 18, 2007 - Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
“At halftime Saturday, a Yale fan ran onto the field and tried to swipe a giant Harvard flag. He was tackled and pummeled by the male and female cheerleaders -- cheerleaders! -- before security guards escorted him off the field.”

Harvard Crimson – November 17, 2007 – Live Blog – Brad Hinshelwood
“Halftime: A Yale student tries to take the Harvard flag, only to be caught and absolutely pummeled by several cheerleaders before security escorts him off.”

Old Media

http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=429338 (1925) Harvard Cheerleading “competition” for males interesting in joining the team
http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=214017 (1952) Harvard rules on use of Women as cheerleaders
http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=352032 (1970) Radcliffe women take court cheering on Basketball team marking the first time in Harvard History that women were allowed to be cheerleaders – they were nicknamed “The Cliffies”
http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=172270 (1982)
http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=96076 (1999) Harvard Makes its competition debut and places 3rd at NCA Regionals