"Tiger Cheerleaders dedicate time, spirit to squad"

By Chase Mitchell
Assistant Campus Editor
September 23, 2005

A vital part of the Auburn gameday experience is the group of spirited athletes that stir the crowd into a zealous fervor every week.

Auburn's cheerleading squad is in charge of making sure the fans stay excited by employing an arsenal of famous chants and cheers, many of which are taught to incoming students before they even start school.

Their job is an important one. A frenzied stadium can be a home team's secret weapon.

Pumped-up Jordan-Hare crowds can act as the "12th man," deafening an opponent's offense at the line of scrimmage and causing costly penalties.

But being in charge of Auburn spirit is no easy task, said head cheerleader Erin Pugh, a senior in fiber engineering who has been on the squad three years.

"(It takes) a lot of hard work and dedication," Pugh said. "I think that you definitely have to take pride in what you do as a cheerleader and in your school."

The squad of 11 men and 10 women must memorize nearly 30 different cheers, 15 for offense and 15 for defense. But Pugh said keeping all that choreography in her head isn't as hard as it sounds.

"I don't think it is (hard) for the girls, just because we grew up doing it," she said. "For the guys, I think it's more difficult because some of them haven't cheered before."

During football season, the squad's week is filled with 5:45 a.m. practices on Mondays and Wednesdays and intense workouts and conditioning on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

They must also maintain their weight throughout the season.

But all that hard work still doesn't compare to the fast pace of game day, Pugh said.

"Obviously, Saturdays are the most hectic days," she said.

The cheerleaders begin their strenuous Saturdays by reporting to the squad's tailgating spot.

"We eat with our parents and the rest of the cheerleaders for an hour," Pugh said. "Then we go to Tiger Walk, and then some people go to the alumni tent and do a small pep rally. A few people go to Tiger Tent Village to paint faces and sign autographs. Then we have the spirit march, and then we go straight to the field to warm up."

It may sound like a busy day, but fortunately, Pugh is used to multitasking.

"My first two years, we (cheered for) football, basketball, volleyball, gymnastics, soccer and swimming and diving," she said.

Now, the work is split up between the coed squad and the new all-girls squad.

"It helps because it takes the load off of us," said Kiersten Koen, a junior in biomedical sciences who is starting her second year on the coed squad. "(Before, we were) trying to handle football, and soccer, and volleyball and lots of the appearances that go on, also."

But no matter what sport they are cheering for, getting tossed into the air every week can have painful consequences.

Both Pugh and Koen said they've suffered several injuries since they've been on the team.

"My right wrist has been injured," Koen said, "but it only put me out for a month, and it was in the spring of last year during basketball season, so I didn't miss much action during football season."

Pugh said last week, she suffered a concussion after she was accidentally dropped on her head.

Despite the bumps and bruises, Koen said she is proud to be a part of the squad, and she appreciates the bonds she's formed with her fellow cheerleaders.

"I think by the end of the season, we will be one of the best squads Auburn's had because of the close relationships we've developed," Koen said.

David Smith, a senior in biomedical sciences and friend of Aubie, said Aubie likes to hang out in his house the night before the big game on Saturday and relax to get ready for his heavily scheduled day.

Aubie's golf cart adds to his lavish lifestyle. The cart is complete with a built-in CD player, which plays all of Auburn's traditional songs, and sports Aubies' autograph on the side. Aubie has always enjoyed being the apple of Auburn's eye by entertaining students and bringing smiles to many faces, especially children.

Comparing Aubie and the institution, one may see many similarities.

"Aubie and Auburn are synonymous," Smith said.

Smith said Aubie does what he can to symbolize the Auburn spirit.

"He represents everything good that is Auburn," Smith said.