Blog Post #2

For my opinion editorial I have decided to write about a subject that I feel passionate about. My claim is that Cougarettes at BYU should be given scholarships. For those of you who don’t know what the Cougarettes are all about, I would love to tell you! They are a 12-time National Championship dance team at Brigham Young University. They strive for perfection and excellence on the dance floor and also in life. Unlike most of the Athletic programs here at BYU, being a member of the Cougarettes is a yearlong commitment. They begin in the summer and finish around Winter Semester Finals. Along with practicing and rehearsing every day, sometimes twice a day; they cheer at all of the home football games and most of the basketball games. Bringing smiles and entertainment to the crowd are some of the most important moments of this exciting experience. Because of the demanding schedule of being a member of the Cougarettes, many are not able to work.  The Cougarettes receive a small amount of money from the University dependent upon their year and leadership on the team. Unfortunately the needs and costs of being on the team heavily out-weigh the amount given to each member; this doesn’t begin to include the cost of tuition and housing for the average college student. Not only do the Cougarettes represent the BYU community here on campus, but they represent the church by holding high standards for music, costumes and choreography in the dance world. As a young girl I watched with wide eyes the Cougarettes at all of the games and also at their concert every year. They inspired me to work hard and strive to meet goals as a person as a dancer. The Cougarettes continue to represent the university extremely well by showing that you can be successful in dance while holding high standards. Scholarships would help to grow this program even more, relieve the stress of financial burden, and for many, make this opportunity possible.