Schools

Cutting Acrobatics and Tumbling: a Hit to Entire Sport, Coach Says

University of Maryland's acrobatics and tumbling team, pioneers in the sport, is among those cut due to athletic budget crisis.

Acrobatics and tumbling athletes at the University of Maryland are used to convincing people that they are more than just cheerleaders. Now they’ll have to convince people that their program is one worth saving.

The team was shocked to hear they were  to help bring the UMd. athletic budget into balance.

But it’s not just important to the Terp athletes that acrobatics and tumbling team remain at UMd.; it’s crucial for the overall success of the sport, Coach Laura Chiriaco said.

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The Terrapin program has arguably pioneered the rising status of the sport with its successes both on and off the mat.

Last year, the coaches of UMd. formed the National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association (NCATA), a non-profit organization dedicated to pushing acrobatics and tumbling to become a fully sanctioned NCAA championship sport. They applied for emerging status earlier this year, the first step toward being fully sanctioned with the NCAA.

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NCATA Executive Director John Blake said the organization was disappointed with the news that one of the founding member schools might be cut.

“[UMd. is] not just one of our schools, they are from a major university that lends credibility to our organization with their participation,” Blake said.

Because they are effectively creating a new sport with their application, they have to prove that there is interest in acrobatics and tumbling, and that there are people with the specific skill set required to participate in the sport, Blake said.

There are currently six universities with acrobatics and tumbling programs, but Chiriaco said there are signs the sport is growing in popularity. Two more universities are adding the program to their athletic departments this year.

“There are so many competitive cheerleaders, and so few options at the college level,” she said.

At UMd., the program broke off from the Spirit Squad in 2003 and for the past eight years has been competing on a local and national level. The athletes were National Cheerleader Association champions in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010. Last year the team had an undefeated regular season and won second place at NCATA nationals.

Contrary to popular belief, acrobatics and tumbling athletes are much more than cheerleaders — they are true collegiate athletes, Chiriaco said. The meets are very structured and there is a very precise judging method that evaluates technique and execution.

“Yes, competitive cheer is a sport,” Chiriaco said. “Female athletes train their whole lives for this, and we are so close to getting emerging sport status.”

It’s her first year as head coach, but Chiriaco is helping her athletes to save a program she’s been involved with since 2004, when she was a member of the team’s first recruited class. She was team captain, and for three years after graduating she served as a volunteer coach.

Chiriaco and her team have not lost hope. They have the opportunity to to save their program.

“We’re trying to form a steering committee of parents and alumni, and organizing a grassroots campaign to raise funds on a smaller scale,” Chiriaco said. “The team is really excited.”

For their part, NCATA is also ready to help with UMd.’s fundraising efforts.

“We are doing our best to work alongside the university to see what we can do to be creative about [fundraising] efforts,” said Blake, adding that he’d already spoken with UMd.’s athletics director Kevin Anderson, several times.

Acrobatics and tumbling, along with fundraising partner , have until June 30 to raise a combined .

“We are staying positive and focusing on having a great season and doing what we can to ensure we have many more seasons after this one,” Chiriaco said.

The team is hosting an intrasquad event at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10.


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