Cheersquad-CRISIS POINT? !!

[Eastern]

Yesterday highlighted to me that OUR cheersquad is plunging into an area where it is no longer relevant, if it hasn't already reached that point. There was a (very) small group on the fence behind the goals, with others (not many) sitting 20-30 rows back under cover near us old softies. The numbers of those present weren't enough to hold the banner up, so they had to recruit others on the day to help. That, to me suggests CRISIS, considering it was Lenny's last game in Melbourne EVER and our last game in Melbourne for the year.

Rather than go completely NEGATIVE, I have come up with the following questions that should be answered and statements/ideas that may help;

1. Should the club, through the Fan Development Dept take FULL control of the cheersquad until the situation improves?

2. Has the cheersquad become political, with members being 'hand picked'?

3. Does the cheersquad do enough to promote itself (Social Media costs NOTHING)?

4. Should the cheersquad make itself 'A Cool Group to Belong to'?

5. Should the cheersquad cater for the 'What's In It For Me' potential members?

6. Does the club do enough encourage/support the cheersquad?

I believe that the structure of a cheersquad should be similar to that of a junior sporting club; Catering for children/youth with some parents & some others there to provide leadership/guidance. The OVER-RIDING theme of a cheersquad should be "TO HAVE FUN WHILST SUPPORTING OUR TEAM".

I am prepared help in any way that I possibly can and I know of quite a few others who are willing to the same, if not more.

What can the cheersquad do to help itself?

What can those of us on the outside do to help? !!

[clarky449]

First joined them when I was 6-7.. Always been in it since, although my passion left me for the Cheer squad years ago.. Nowadays, I sit in other seats for other reasons.. But I just get really angry in the CS.. Been a member there for 13 years or something, every game even back in the day, always asked "Im not a member, can not sit here" Um well I have been for years love..

Little things like that. It feels a little club with the old ladies. I have never felt welcome to go to banner nights or anything.. Banner nights I was left by myself as a young bloke, just not inviting..

In saying that, it was never the same after the GFII.. The second half had people fighting against each other.. Was a dark time down there..

[saintspremiers]

First joined them when I was 6-7.. Always been in it since, although my passion left me for the Cheer squad years ago.. Nowadays, I sit in other seats for other reasons.. But I just get really angry in the CS.. Been a member there for 13 years or something, every game even back in the day, always asked "Im not a member, can not sit here" Um well I have been for years love..

Little things like that. It feels a little club with the old ladies. I have never felt welcome to go to banner nights or anything.. Banner nights I was left by myself as a young bloke, just not inviting..

In saying that, it was never the same after the GFII.. The second half had people fighting against each other.. Was a dark time down there..

That's a friggin joke.

Those old battleaxes you mention, if what you are saying can be verified by others, should be permanently banned from the CS.

The CS average age should be young. Should be lots of kids and people in their twenties and thirties, plus a few parents of younger kids. That is what envisage is the right demographics for an AFL CS.

And another thing.

We need to market ourselves as "St.Kilda FC", not "Saints". That's pretty much industry standard.

Our website should be http://www.stkildafc.com.au

Which is currently unused.

[Freebird]

Where's big bill?

[Cairnsman]

Heard this discussed on SEN the other day...talk about whether the Banner is relevant in today's game.

What is presented on the banner has been hijacked by the AFL/clubs and sponsors.

Banners usually contain bland, sterilised and commercialised messages.

Messages on banners now have to filter through the PC police.

The banner was always owned by the tribe on the front line. The banner was one of the match day symbols of tribalism.

It was an opportunity to send a message to the opposition. It was always a feature of match day to eagerly await the raising of each clubs banner and see what barb each club might want to fire off.

We forget that contact sports evolved from the gladiator days...

I think cheers squads and banners will be a thing of the past somewhere not too far down the track...the execs will look for something that looks better on TV or have more razzmatazz!

[Cairnsman]

Take a leaf out of Adelaide oval and open up some standing room sections at the ground.

Throw in some BBQs.

After each goal let the punters throw up paper confetti cut from phone books.

Let them hang over the fence and bang on it like crazy to make some noize...

[The Redeemer]

First joined them when I was 6-7.. Always been in it since, although my passion left me for the Cheer squad years ago.. Nowadays, I sit in other seats for other reasons.. But I just get really angry in the CS.. Been a member there for 13 years or something, every game even back in the day, always asked "Im not a member, can not sit here" Um well I have been for years love..

Little things like that. It feels a little club with the old ladies. I have never felt welcome to go to banner nights or anything.. Banner nights I was left by myself as a young bloke, just not inviting..

In saying that, it was never the same after the GFII.. The second half had people fighting against each other.. Was a dark time down there..

That's a friggin joke.

Those old battleaxes you mention, if what you are saying can be verified by others, should be permanently banned from the CS.

The CS average age should be young. Should be lots of kids and people in their twenties and thirties, plus a few parents of younger kids. That is what envisage is the right demographics for an AFL CS.

And another thing.

We need to market ourselves as "St.Kilda FC", not "Saints". That's pretty much industry standard.

Our website should be http://www.stkildafc.com.au

Which is currently unused.

I think cheer squads are the same everywhere. From an outsiders perspective, not a place one would want to be unless one was the leader.

Dooley, just take it over please.

It just seems like a bunch of old women with no life that live vicariously through a football club.

As above Dooley, just take it over.

[saintsRrising]

The current CS should be wiped and started afresh. Once your turn 25, you should be out.

It needs to be youth driven. Too many "oldies" who feel entitled and believe it is all about them..

Two points stick in my mind...which demonstrates their lack of character

1/ The rorting of tickets at the St Kilda G F's from the CS allocation.

2/ Back when players used to come into the Social Club reasonably early. Up front near the ropes it should have all been about the kids getting autographs and being up front. Instead the "grannies' would come in en-masse and try and block it of with a row of chairs as "their" zone..

[SainterK]

I'd run an audition xfactor style.

Send in a video submission that can be voted on by fans.

We decide who becomes the front line....

Bit of fun.

Richmond are who we should emulate.

The tiger army is an identity, they are on twitter, ring radio, have a Facebook page.

[gringo]

I sit near them some times and cringe although i like ground level because it feels like the old days. They are definitely territorial and look at you if you cheer too loud. But if your happy with "another one just like the other one gaol goal goal" you're all good? I kind of like watching them though it's a bizarre world from the past that you don't see any where else. I'm not an a hole...welll a little bit, but they are an unfortunate bunch of people. But then so are all other CSs.

[Enrico_Misso]

Well soon we won't need a cheer squad as the way things are headed the scoreboard will be orchestrating us making noise, dancing, singing (in American voices?).
Led by dickheads like that Sherry bloke - a prostitute for hire - who was there at the G yesterday in his Richmond gear pretending he was one of the faithful.

[saintdooley]

A lot has changed over the 10 years I've been there.
Up until a few years ago we had a decent 4-500 members and no reserved seating, rules were simple, first in best dressed.
Since the GF days we've had a new president come through and yes the club HAS taken over...but done sfa.
The club has now made the whole cheer squad reserved only, and on top of that if we were to make the finals to have access to a finals ticket you must also have a social club membership. Sounds fair yes buy why would people want to sit in the worst seats of the stadium (in regards to the view of the game) and have to pay top dollar? A lot of our members have dropped off for that reason. Might I add bad time to do it when everybody knew we were going to be shyt for a few years...who in their right mind would pay hundreds more 'incase' we made the finals when it was clear we'd be lucky to finish outside the bottom 2.

Eastern has made some good points. The club has pretty much taken over, they do all the ticketing for all games, you contact them not any of the committee members if there's a problem or question.
Social media, we do have a Facebook page which I am in control of but again due to fighting and bitching (nothing unusual with us) I have to be very careful how often and what I post on there and I've been asked by a staff member numerous times to delete the page as they believe it is not needed. It is the one thing they are not in control of and I like it like that. All I post is photos of when I go away, nothing that will harm the club in any way.

I would love nothing more than the cheer squad to be a 'cool group' but since I've joined I've seen no fresh blood come through, just ladies getting older and older. The club can and should help us a lot more, we could have cheer squad polos or jackets, new flags instead of using ones we used in the 66 grand final, organize bus trips that non CS members can join also and from that hopefully some will decide to join after all the fun we have in Adelaide (joke about fun in Adelaide, no such thing.) When we play interstate someone will take the banner and il take the flags (occasionally floggers also), it is pretty heavy and looks like i am carrying body bags around the city of Perth, somewhat inconvenient and no refunds with luggage on the flight. there are a lot of ways we can improve with the help of the club.

[noddy04]

Yesterday highlighted to me that OUR cheersquad is plunging into an area where it is no longer relevant, if it hasn't already reached that point. There was a (very) small group on the fence behind the goals, with others (not many) sitting 20-30 rows back under cover near us old softies. The numbers of those present weren't enough to hold the banner up, so they had to recruit others on the day to help. That, to me suggests CRISIS, considering it was Lenny's last game in Melbourne EVER and our last game in Melbourne for the year.

Rather than go completely NEGATIVE, I have come up with the following questions that should be answered and statements/ideas that may help;

1. Should the club, through the Fan Development Dept take FULL control of the cheersquad until the situation improves?

2. Has the cheersquad become political, with members being 'hand picked'?

3. Does the cheersquad do enough to promote itself (Social Media costs NOTHING)?

4. Should the cheersquad make itself 'A Cool Group to Belong to'?

5. Should the cheersquad cater for the 'What's In It For Me' potential members?

6. Does the club do enough encourage/support the cheersquad?

I believe that the structure of a cheersquad should be similar to that of a junior sporting club; Catering for children/youth with some parents & some others there to provide leadership/guidance. The OVER-RIDING theme of a cheersquad should be "TO HAVE FUN WHILST SUPPORTING OUR TEAM".

I am prepared help in any way that I possibly can and I know of quite a few others who are willing to the same, if not more.

What can the cheersquad do to help itself?

What can those of us on the outside do to help? !!

I was one of the "others" that was recruited yesterday to help hold the banner and i thank Jenny and Dools so very much for the honour and PRIVELEGE of being able to assist. I hope to be one of the "others" who is recruited next weekend v the Crows. If i dont get the opportunity to do this I (and my wife) will be right along the Cheersquad to lend our support and voice to them. We have tried to dupport the CS everytime we get to see the Saints play either here in Adelaide or when we get to Melbourne(as we did yesterday). We have found that ALL the people we have had contact with in the CS have been fantastic to us and in their support for everything StKilda. This Cheersquad chestnut comes up every year. I dont have an answer to it only to ask as many Saints people to get behind their cheersquad and support the with voice and numbers ..Cheers ps i am not having a shot at anyone here because after yesterdays efforts by both our players and our supporters my wife and I walked away very happy with the efforts of everyone. See you Sunday Dools and Saintbrat

[Dave McNamara]

Heard this discussed on SEN the other day...talk about whether the Banner is relevant in today's game.

What is presented on the banner has been hijacked by the AFL/clubs and sponsors.

Banners usually contain bland, sterilised and commercialised messages.

Messages on banners now have to filter through the PC police.

The banner was always owned by the tribe on the front line. The banner was one of the match day symbols of tribalism.

It was an opportunity to send a message to the opposition. It was always a feature of match day to eagerly await the raising of each clubs banner and see what barb each club might want to fire off.

We forget that contact sports evolved from the gladiator days...

I think cheers squads and banners will be a thing of the past somewhere not too far down the track...the execs will look for something that looks better on TV or have more razzmatazz!

Now you're talkin' CM!

Bring back feral banner messages!

Bring back banging on the fence!

Bring back the cut up phone books and the streamers! (Remember the old footage where the full back had to pick his way through the streamers in the goal square before kicking in after a point?


How footy used to be played...

[gringo]

A lot has changed over the 10 years I've been there.
Up until a few years ago we had a decent 4-500 members and no reserved seating, rules were simple, first in best dressed.
Since the GF days we've had a new president come through and yes the club HAS taken over...but done sfa.
The club has now made the whole cheer squad reserved only, and on top of that if we were to make the finals to have access to a finals ticket you must also have a social club membership. Sounds fair yes buy why would people want to sit in the worst seats of the stadium (in regards to the view of the game) and have to pay top dollar? A lot of our members have dropped off for that reason. Might I add bad time to do it when everybody knew we were going to be shyt for a few years...who in their right mind would pay hundreds more 'incase' we made the finals when it was clear we'd be lucky to finish outside the bottom 2.

Eastern has made some good points. The club has pretty much taken over, they do all the ticketing for all games, you contact them not any of the committee members if there's a problem or question.
Social media, we do have a Facebook page which I am in control of but again due to fighting and bitching (nothing unusual with us) I have to be very careful how often and what I post on there and I've been asked by a staff member numerous times to delete the page as they believe it is not needed. It is the one thing they are not in control of and I like it like that. All I post is photos of when I go away, nothing that will harm the club in any way.

I would love nothing more than the cheer squad to be a 'cool group' but since I've joined I've seen no fresh blood come through, just ladies getting older and older. The club can and should help us a lot more, we could have cheer squad polos or jackets, new flags instead of using ones we used in the 66 grand final, organize bus trips that non CS members can join also and from that hopefully some will decide to join after all the fun we have in Adelaide (joke about fun in Adelaide, no such thing.) When we play interstate someone will take the banner and il take the flags (occasionally floggers also), it is pretty heavy and looks like i am carrying body bags around the city of Perth, somewhat inconvenient and no refunds with luggage on the flight. there are a lot of ways we can improve with the help of the club.

They should definitely throw some money and time at it. It's like your front line soldiers. You should pressure the club and see if you can get them to do something.

[SainterK]

I sent a suggestion on twitter and was told it wasn't the forum for feedback.

Seems a touchy subject.

[saintbrat]

semi relevant But did I heard right that COLLINGWOOD DID NOT have a banner at the weekend?

[saintdooley]

semi relevant But did I heard right that COLLINGWOOD DID NOT have a banner at the weekend?

I believe Virgin lost it.

[Cairnsman]

Heard this discussed on SEN the other day...talk about whether the Banner is relevant in today's game.

What is presented on the banner has been hijacked by the AFL/clubs and sponsors.

Banners usually contain bland, sterilised and commercialised messages.

Messages on banners now have to filter through the PC police.

The banner was always owned by the tribe on the front line. The banner was one of the match day symbols of tribalism.

It was an opportunity to send a message to the opposition. It was always a feature of match day to eagerly await the raising of each clubs banner and see what barb each club might want to fire off.

We forget that contact sports evolved from the gladiator days...

I think cheers squads and banners will be a thing of the past somewhere not too far down the track...the execs will look for something that looks better on TV or have more razzmatazz!

Now you're talkin' CM!

Bring back feral banner messages!

Bring back banging on the fence!

Bring back the cut up phone books and the streamers! (Remember the old footage where the full back had to pick his way through the streamers in the goal square before kicking in after a point?


How footy used to be played...

Like what is happening in the wider AFL, the question is being asked: why are people losing interest? why are the crowd numbers down?

IMO we are not quite killing off the "golden goose" but it certainly seems to have an illness of some sort.

Another point to make about "cheers squads" and their origins. People forming cheer squads had a connection to the players, usually family and friends and not just followers of a club. You can still go to games at grade level, usually grand finals and the cheer squads are related players.

In my opinion all of this talk about kicking out the "Grannies", or only making the cheer squad for kids under a certain age only makes it harder to create bigger numbers. Come up with ideas that are inclusive of the whole "clan". When did we become separatists?

I know my idea of creating standing room is only "pie in the sky" talk, it will never happen, however the sentiment that standing room used to create and still creates, (Adelaide) is the point I'm making.

The AFL/Club has to try and get back to some basics.

BTW it's not only Adelaide that has standing room, do any of the Execs walk around the concourse at Docklands during a game and ask themselves why so many people enjoy standing up in a place where the viewing spectacle is crap.

[saintspremiers]

Dools, have you spoken to Rory at the club?

[Dis Believer]

semi relevant But did I heard right that COLLINGWOOD DID NOT have a banner at the weekend?

I believe Virgin lost it.

Does that mean they are no longer Virgin?

[Sainter_Dad]

Is the banner night still at Moorabbin? If I recall the twice I took a couple of younger fans there - it was cold, drafty and not much fun for them (11 yos). Can't help but think we were not actually welcome, even though our slogan was used. We were kind of on the outside looking in.

[3rd generation saint]

I was in cheer squad from 1971 to the early 80's.
Amazingly, there are still people there from when I joined who were older than I was back then.

[3rd generation saint]

I was in cheer squad from 1971 to the early 80's.
Amazingly, there are still people there from when I joined who were older than I was back then.

[Bunk_Moreland]

Alternate PoV.

had a friend whose mother would catch the train from Footscray to Moorrabin every game in the 70's and 80's.

By the time she got into her 80's she would sit in the CS because as an old lady she felt safe and protected.

Now I know times have changed and footy grounds are very different from thirty years ago, but many of the "old ladies" spoken about about may still feel the same way.

Without alienating these older folk who may feel vulnerable at the footy, new life needs to be brought into the CS.

Sad to here that it is a bit of a closed shop and a clique.

Also sad to hear Dools perspective as well.

Don't know what can be done, but willing to help if I can. Don't think I am the age demographic needed though.