The decision to switch the Bethlehem Central cheerleading program from a sport to a club has brought about changes and complications that have frustrated students, parents and a former coach.
That includes a choice this year to appoint a new coach. At a school board meeting held Wednesday, Aug. 8, two cheerleaders going into their senior years attended the meeting to speak in favor of the team’s previous coach, Stephanie Breen. The board had already opted to hire a member of the middle school faculty to take over the position, which the girls said is not sitting well with team members.
“We’ve never had a coach that got us first place (before),” said Alexa Abreu. “We had an undefeated season, and we really appreciate her.”
Last year, the cheerleaders placed first in both the Suburban Council competition and the Rumble in the Jungle competition held in Saratoga.
Breen, who also attended the Aug. 8 school board meeting, said she was shocked to hear the program hadn’t won a trophy in years and was often derided and booed during pep rallies.
“When I took over last year, I completely revamped the program,” she said in a later interview. “I graduated from Bethlehem Central 12 years ago, and when I was there, we went to nationals in Florida every year.”
Breen was a cheerleader in college also and became a certified cheerleading coach and trainer. For several years she has coached for the Bethlehem Pop Warner- Junior Midget Cheer squads and was the junior varsity coach for the high school for two years. When the JV squad was disbanded, she became an assistant coach with the varsity team. Last year she became the head cheerleading coach, or “advisor,” since the program is now a club.
The district switched the program to a club in the 2010-11 budget as a money-saving move. According to Breen, that switch has spawned a number of issues.
Last year’s season got off to a late start, she said, because the school board was late in approving her as the advisor. Because of this, the girls missed cheering at the school’s first home football game. Toward the end of the season, the girls had problems getting their varsity letters because the program was no longer a sport.
Breen said she spoke with former Principal Charles Abba about the matter, and he said he would make sure the girls still got letters. He and Breen also came up with a plan to hold open gym sessions for cheerleaders to make sure they didn’t fall behind if there was a delay in getting the club’s activities officially started.
That’s why Breen was surprised when she said none of the above occurred. At the same time, she was contacted by a distraught cheerleader who said she’d heard Breen had quit.
“I didn’t quit,” said Breen. “Finally I called and asked for a meeting with (new high school Principal Scott Landry), because I was confused.”
Breen said at the meeting, Landry spoke with her about her concerns from the last year. When she asked about her plans for the coming season, Breen said Landry informed her someone else had been hired that morning. Breen claims she was never interviewed for the position and had submitted a letter of interest to be the coach this year.
“The principal was short with me when I told him the kids were upset,” she said. “He told me to tell them that ‘life isn’t fair.’ That blew me away.”
Landry did not return calls seeking comment.BCSD spokesman Bill DeVoe said the position went to the individual the district felt was most qualified.
DeVoe said all coaches are normally hired by the district’s athletic director, as was done in previous years for cheerleading. Because the program is now considered a club, the principal hires the advisor, who receives a $2,610 stipend for the fall cheerleading season. An advisor has not yet been selected for the winter season.
According to district policy, “a faculty advisor will be appointed to supervise the activity according to school rules and regulations” for all student organizations or extracurricular activities.
Breen is not a district employee. She is studying at UAlbany for her master’s degree in education policies and said it is her understanding the state usually allows an outsider to instruct extracurricular activities if they are more qualified.
“I’m really offended,” said Breen. “The girls are also really upset and a lot are not cheering this year, which is sad because a lot are seniors.”
Parent Teresa Ferrara said she is upset by the situation, as is her daughter Brianna, a junior. She has cheered both years the program has been considered a club.
Ferrara said Breen did a good job of keeping the essence of cheerleading despite the restrictions that came with being a club. Tryouts were still held last year and professional cheerleaders came in to score the girls. Breen was not involved in the process, but cuts were made. Since the program is now a club and all students are usually allowed to join clubs, it is not clear if tryouts will be held again.
“What kind of message are we sending to the children of this district if we let this happen?” said Ferrara. “The girls were just starting to feel good about themselves. A lot of people don’t feel cheerleading is a sport, but it is. It’s just as demanding.”
Ferrara said she is working on a plan to have cheerleading funded by a parent booster club, much like the district’s hockey team is largely supported by a booster group.
Meanwhile, Breen and members of the team are left wondering why a change was made in the first place. Sydney Hickey, a cheerleader going into her senior year, told the BC school board Breen had been a great benefit to the program.
“Teachers and students approached a lot of us and told us how much better we’ve gotten, and they have respect for us now,” she said.
“I had great reviews. I don’t know where the disconnect was,” Breen said. “I have coached cheerleading for 10 years. I left Shenendehowa to coach here because it is where I’m from. … The situation just feels low. After cutting their funding, changing it from a sport and cutting JV, this is like kicking them while they were down.”
