Tarleton cheer team stands strong with the competition, community

BY BRENNA DEMPSEY

Executive Producer

For the members of the Tarleton State University cheer program, success is measured by more than just the performance on the field, court or mat.

Under the leadership of head coach Blaine Hamilton, the team emphasizes athletic excellence while also prioritizing community involvement and personal growth.

“I won’t say it’s easy what we do, and we expect a lot out of them. We remind them very often that we are a Division I cheer program, and we want to treat it that way,” Hamilton said. “We have high expectations, and we are not going to lower our standards.”

The high standards and hard work have paid off in their repeated victories at the NCA National Championship in the Spirit Rally division. The 2025 season marked a three-year win streak for the team, and graduate student Brianna Bowyer has faith in the team’s future.

“This year, we are going to be doing an intermediate traditional routine, and I think with this new approach, we get to do new skills that some of us maybe have never done and it’s a challenge,” Bowyer said. “I think it’ll work out in the upcoming semester to be able to push us and give us something new to look forward to.”

It can’t be said that cheer isn’t a sport, according to Hamilton, because the work and athleticism that go into the routines are no easy feat.

“When you start putting it into context, they’re throwing and catching a football or basketball, and we’re throwing and catching people by their feet or their hands,” Hamilton said.

The trust that cheer members put in their teammates shows the connection they share with each other. Even with personal differences, they have a common factor that brings them together.

“I think for us, we do a great job and our coaches as well do a great job of picking up the nitty gritty and figuring out solutions in a civilized and family-like manner,” Bowyer said. “We hold each other accountable in times of weakness, and we end up coming through in the end.”

Even with the success of the past seasons, for this cheer team, it’s not only about the sport; they also make sure to dedicate the time they can for community events.

Around the holidays, the cheer team got together with other sports divisions for the Stephenville Optimists Toys for Kids toy drive.

“That was neat because it wasn’t just cheer, it was cheer and dance and football and basketball and beach volleyball. Just having a couple of athletes from each sport come together, it was really neat to be able to give back,” Hamilton said.

Another aspect of the sport is the personal growth and discovery that the students experience on the team. It is a great way to get plugged into college life and discover whatever passions life holds for them.

“I know for a lot of people the experiences that they have throughout college kind of set the tone for what they want to do in their career,” Hamilton said.

As with all good things, there is a level of unpredictability that comes along with cheer, and finding a way to overcome challenges can be a great skill to carry into the future.

“Control what you can control, and just try to have a different outlook and mindset with that,” Hamilton said. “No matter what comes our way, we’re going to persevere, we’re going to get to that finish line,”