BUCKING THE SYSTEM: CIVIC CENTER WILL BENEFIT FROM CHEERLEADING SPIRIT

I could have been a cheerleader.

Well, not really. What I should say is I could have been a cheerleader except for the existence of a body that was too tall and too fat, hair that was too short, feet that were too big, skin that was too dark, and a voice that was too heavy.

Physical attributes aside, however, I have the undying spirit of a cheerleader. I have always loved cheering my team on to victory and consoling them in defeat. Winning, in my opinion, is something that is always possible if the spirit is present, and I've always got a little more spirit to pass around.

I wasn't one of those little girls who attends ball games in homemade cheerleading outfits, then flitted around letting everyone see how cute I was. My mom didn't have the time, and I certainly didn't have the figure to pull those costumes off.

However, even as a little girl who had little knowledge of the rules and regulations of the sport, I could be counted on to yell cheers and words of encouragement until I was hoarse.

It helped that I came from a town where sports were everything. The Charleston Bluejays always could be counted on to be fierce competitors, even when everybody in the building could see we didn't stand a chance of winning. That, and the fact that we were nearly always dominant in boys basketball and girls track and occasionally dominant in other sports, made us a town worthy of some respect.

Although I left my cheerleading days long ago, that indomitable cheerleading spirit often resurfaces in my life. For example, I make a valuable friend because, if nothing else, I'm loyal.

I'll tell you when I think you're wrong, but I can always be counted on to be in your corner. I also make a special effort to attend special events, which mean I might forget your birthday, but I'll be there for your child's baptism. I can also tell just by the pitch of your voice if you need me to say "Sure I can talk" when what I really want to say is "You know better than to call between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m."

That spirit also shows itself in my loyalty to organizations. Take for example my work as a board member at the Cape Civic Center. Although this center has a long history in the community, it doesn't seem to have the community support that it has thrived on in the past. Part of that is because our board has been ineffective in showing that we're here and we're working, and it's also due to our inability to organize our cheerleaders.

Make no mistake, there are many others besides myself who have that cheerleading spirit. That's why volunteerism and civic organizations are so successful in Cape Girardeau.

However, whereas other organizations have well-organized cheerleaders who have a plethora of floor cheers to inspire the crowd, the Civic Center's cheerleaders have been watching the clock and discussing their post-game plans instead of spurring their team to action.

That's all changing, though. Our board of directors -- that is to say, our team -- has decided to do our own cheering to spur the crowd. Think about it: How many times has it been that one player raising the roof on the basketball court or walking the sidelines and swinging a towel has been the inspiration the fans and the team needed to get excited?

How much more effective is that when the entire team is working towards its goal AND pumping the occasional fist in victory?

Well, that's what we're doing, and I know it's going to work. I believe the Civic Center is going to overcome its challenges and become equally, if not more, active in our community than it once was. Once our cheerleaders regain their voices, that'll just add to the effort.

In short, we're going to win. Again.

We cheerleaders have a sixth sense about these things.

~Tamara Zellars Buck is a staff writer for the Southeast Missourian.