A Yummy Slightly Old Recruitment Journey

[groovypq]

This was a great story! I had a sneaking suspicion it might be Oregon. So how did cheerleading (stunt? acrobatics and tumbling? whatever they're calling it now) work out?

[AXOmom]

Thank you again everyone for the nice comments.

groovypg- I think currently it is called Tumbling and Acrobatics (but they've changed the name a few times so...LOL).

Actually, the second day of recruitment when I came down she asked me to drive her over to the athletic building because she was going to quit the team. Even before she started recruitment the schedule was getting pretty stressful (won't go into the specifics of why that was here). I tried to talk her out of it, but her mind was made up, so I drove her over and in she went.

20 minutes later she came racing out and telling me, "Mom, we have to hurry. I need to get ready, get my stuff together, get back to practice and then get ready for recruitment." I was completely baffled....again.

She had gone in to quit. She had called the assistant coach to tell them she wanted to meet with them, so I think coach knew what was coming. Anyway, coach told her she really wasn't to sure how she was going to like her when she first signed her up because daughter had already mentioned wanting to do the sorority thing and coach didn't get it AT ALL (well, there was a little more to it than that), but she had been such a good team player and had such a good attitude that she had come to love her, and she really wanted to make it work for her, so she would make sure they were done at 5 on the spot as long as daughter would stick with it for 2 more weeks and think about it.

She actually stuck with it for 3 before she called and told me that between school, church, the sport, and the sorority she could not keep up and she felt like she was kind of sucking at all of them. I knew her heart wasn't in the sport even though she LOVED the girls on the team and the coach, so as painful as it was for me and my pocket book - I wasn't going to make my child do something she really didn't like (and truthfully was getting tough on her body) for the scholarship money. ...tempting as it was.

[AZTheta]

I'm horrible at guessing but I did figure out this was Oregon/Oregon State. Congratulations to your daughter on AXO! I'm watching the Theta colony at Oregon with great interest; wish I could go for their installation/initiation, as one of the ELCs assigned there is a UofA/Beta Delta Theta alumna, and the other one is absolutely incredible. Wishing great success to the Greek system at Oregon.

Scholarship for tumbling/cheerleading? WOW. We don't offer that here, although IMO it is certainly justified and deserved.

[AXOmom]

Yep, Oregon but I should clarify that Party State is not Oregon State.



I should also clarify that Oregon does not give scholarships for the cheerleaders (they do give stipends). The tumbling/acrobatic team is an entirely separate thing that is a sport at UofO, although it is made up of girls who have had gymnastics/competitive cheer backgrounds. It also doesn't operate/isn't judged like competitive cheer teams. The girls on the team are in no way connected to the cheer squad or dance team at UofO.

The Theta colony did well in informal I believe. As it turns out, a friend of mine from church was a member of that chapter back in the 70's and was the alum president for our area a while back.

When Brooke first became interested in sororities, she asked me to talk to a HS friend's mother (her Alpha Phi friend at Party State), who had been in a sorority there as well. She thought she could answer some of my questions and concerns and the mom was a friendly aquaintance of mine. That mom was a Theta and she told me, among other things, that her closest friends were still her Theta sisters.

[AZTheta]

well, axomom, I messed up TWICE in my post. I was gonna edit it but decided NO, just leave the mistakes, b/c your post clarifies things.

*embarrassed* at my weak geographical knowledge.

and yes, I count among my closest friends my pledge sisters, as well as countless other Thetas I've met throughout the years. Amazing how it really can be for a lifetime, if you let it!

[AXOmom]

^^^LOL - no problem. I often forget which Arizona school is in Tempe and which Tuscon (I know Sun Devils and Wildcats wouldn't be happy about that one). I always have to double check.

I just know the one away game daughter got to go when she cheered at Party State was at U of A and she called to tell me she wanted to transfer there PRONTO because it was 85 degrees and had palm trees. She had a couple of friends who were Gamma Phi Betas there.

The cheer/acrobatic and tumbling distinction is one even most of the Uof O students and alums don't quite get yet. LOL.

[AZTheta]

oh, I can't help myself: it's TuCSon! And it's the University of Arizona that's here. That Other School is in Tempe. I forget what it's called.

sorry! I'll go back up in the bleachers now. I've certainly made enough silliness for one morning.

[AXOrushadvisor]

^^^now don't make me put my fighting gloves on!!! Every one knows Arizona State University is the home of the Sun Devils in beautiful Tempe, Arizona. Just waiting to see if I'll end up with a wildcat in our house of Sun Devils:P

[jenidallas]

Great story! It is refreshing to read a mom story that very honestly assesses the reality of the process from both perspectives. Bravo and congratulations to your daughter on many continued years of Greek happiness.

[DawgLove]

I totally loved this! I had a feeling as soon as you said that your area was laid back and that people only get worried about bike paths and the like that you HAD to be talking about my beloved Pacific Northwest. As soon as you referred to your school as "university of tie-dyed" I knew immediately that it was UofO {I'm born & raised in Portland to Duck alums}. I have a couple of guesses about the first schools but not totally sure...

[AXOmom]

AzTheta -Whoops! Sorry on the Tucson thing. She loved it - however its spelled. LOL.

DawgLove, wait a minute - you have Duck parents and you are going to UDub- AAACCCK!! And your parents are willingly paying for you to go up there and wear purple - Double AACCK! The horror! Most of us signed an agreement that said we would kill our children first. Apparently your parents missed the memo.

Seriously, I am certain your guesses on the first two schools mentioned would be correct, but you can PM if you want to be sure.

[DawgLove]

I assure you that they were none too pleased - You can imagine the amount of ribbing I get each football season. Call me a rebel - I just wanted to try something different...the scholarships eased their dread :-)

[homeward*bound]

Originally Posted by AXOmom

I just know the one away game daughter got to go when she cheered at Party State was at U of A and she called to tell me she wanted to transfer there PRONTO because it was 85 degrees and had palm trees. She had a couple of friends who were Gamma Phi Betas there.

Sheds a nostalgic tear. If it was 85 degrees, then she must have been lucky enough to visit in the fall. I always felt for those teams from cooler climates who had to come play earlier in the season.

Originally Posted by AzTheta

That Other School is in Tempe. I forget what it's called.

That would be Tempe Normal School of course.

[AXOmom]

LOL. It was October, yes. I did try to tell her if she was there in August she might feel differently. Then I told her that out of state tuition would make it all a moot point. Wasn't happening. She huffed and told me fine but I should know that the MINUTE she graduated from college she was moving to a warmer climate - preferably San Diego or Arizona. She has since "cooled it" (ha-ha) on both.