New cheering policy adopted

By Staff
Staff Reports, Hartselle Enquirer
Outside judges and auditors will be used for the next cheerleading tryouts at Hartselle High School.
Hartselle's Board of Education passed a policy recently requiring the high school to use outside judges for cheerleading tryouts. The board policy also requires the school to use a certified public accountant to tabulate and post the results. The expense for the judges and the CPA will be paid by the school system.
School officials can decide how many cheerleaders will participate on the squad, but will not be involved in the selection process.
The changes come on the heels of complaints by some people about the way cheerleaders were selected. In the past, the cheerleading sponsors selected the team. Complaints were lodged, critics said, because the cheerleading sponsors also operated a gymnastics school attended by many of the candidates.
Sponsors Martha Cooper and Sonie Wilson resigned last month after the complaints were lodged. School officials said they did not ask for the resignations and said they felt the two had done a good job.
New sponsors have not been named, though signups for cheer tryouts are open until April 9. The board said they will name a new sponsor by mid-April.
Policies regarding the selection of junior high and wrestling cheerleaders will be addressed at a later date.