The university has officially confirmed that our coaches are staying and the program will receive the independence it deserves. Seeing our community rally for the spirit and excellence that defined our own college years is something I will never forget. We secured the future of this program together and I …
January 12, 2019
Final supporters
Dear Mr. Tyra & Ms Herring,
We are a collective of active and engaged University of Louisville Alumni. We have been organized online for quite some time but with the recent developments concerning the Spirit Program it is time for us to engage, mobilize and support our university more than ever before.
Our time at UofL was a very big part of our college experience and the lessons we learned from this exceptional, competitive and decorated program have literally changed our lives.
Cheerleading taught us the importance of commitment, sacrifice, working together, time management & the value of goals. Acting as an ambassador for the University prepared us for work life and set the tone for the type of people we wanted to be.
The competitive nature of UofL meant that We were driven to give our absolute best, push beyond limits, and settle for nothing less.
James, Misty, Calen & Will have worked so hard to maintain the caliber and excellence associated with the program. They have the complete and total support of our vast & engaged alumni community.
You may not realize this but Louisville is the heartbeat of the Cheerleading World. Our graduates are among the industry’s best coaches, athletes, event producers, judges, industry experts and more. The impact Louisville cheerleading has had on the ENTIRE spirit industry is undeniable.
Our alumni have been waiting for the opportunity for the cheer program to stand in its own right. We hope UofL allocates our coaches administrative assistance, a fair budget, access to scholarship, in-state tuition equivalencies and student athlete services that will allow us to rival the very best schools in our country, and attract our sport’s best talent.
We are ready to mobilize and support you - but cheer can no longer stand behind dance but WITH DANCE as an equal, and our leaders - James, Misty & Calen need the chance to build on the program they have maintained over decades. We would like to open dialogue with the university as how we can shape the future and assist in every way possible.
We urge you to support our Cheer Coaching staff as you rebuild and reframe the spirit program for the future.
Hundreds of athletes flock to Louisville, Kentucky each year to be coached by the best and learn at one of our country’s finest post secondary institutions.
Our legendary cheerleading program is a launchpad for many young people. It is crucial that it continue to operate under the direction of its experienced, decorated and loyal staff with direct support from the university and its Athletic Department.
Sincerely,
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
December 20, 2018
Reached 100 supporters
December 18, 2018
December 18, 2018
Seeing these names stack up reminds me of the countless hours we spent on that mat together. We are on the verge of hitting that next benchmark and I need you to pass this link to a former teammate right now so we can keep this momentum moving forward.
December 16, 2018
We are on the verge of hitting one hundred signatures and I need your help to push us over that mark right now. Seeing this momentum reminds me of the drive we all cultivated on that mat and it proves that our community is still just as competitive as ever.
63 Comments
UofL cheer shouldn’t be punished by another mans mistakes. Instead, this should mark a time for a new era of positivity and quality leadership to begin!
We support James Speed and Misty Hodges. Being a feeder program into U of L and alumn, I hope that now the Spirit program can be considered athletes and finally get the support and recognition needed in order to thrive. ❤️
I'm one of the luckiest people in the world to be connected to and to have worked with James, Misty, and Calen. I've learned so much from all three as well as cheering for the University of Louisville. I have grown tremendously not only as a business professional and aspiring entrepreneur but also as a human being. James, Misty, and Calen are all visionaries, idea generators, revolutionary, doer's not just talkers. They push people to become their best in every aspect and they live by that example every day. These coaches (My Family) and this program is an inspiration to me and to many all over the world and is responsible for so many dreams coming true, including my own.
Thank you to Misty, James, and Calen for the amazing experience that brought so many opportunities my way from being a part of such a prestigious program (including meeting my husband who also cheered for UofL). Shannon (Stotz) May, Proud Alumni ‘06-‘08 Southern California
This is perfect. Louisville Cheer program is a winning program, that drives a large amount of athletes from around the country to attend Uof every year. This program needs support so that it can continue to be a leading and winning program. Louisville Cheer has helped so many athletes and does provide career opportunities for athletes in the cheer industry post graduation. It develops kids into adults, turns them into experts and pushes them mentally and physically at the highest level of cheerleading.
Feel very strong about supporting our youth and young adults. Hope this helps
Go Cards!!!
Share Petition
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The university has officially confirmed that our coaches are staying and the program will receive the independence it deserves. Seeing our community rally for the spirit and excellence that defined our own college years is something I will never forget. We secured the future of this program together and I …
January 12, 2019
Final supporters
Dear Mr. Tyra & Ms Herring,
We are a collective of active and engaged University of Louisville Alumni. We have been organized online for quite some time but with the recent developments concerning the Spirit Program it is time for us to engage, mobilize and support our university more than ever before.
Our time at UofL was a very big part of our college experience and the lessons we learned from this exceptional, competitive and decorated program have literally changed our lives.
Cheerleading taught us the importance of commitment, sacrifice, working together, time management & the value of goals. Acting as an ambassador for the University prepared us for work life and set the tone for the type of people we wanted to be.
The competitive nature of UofL meant that We were driven to give our absolute best, push beyond limits, and settle for nothing less.
James, Misty, Calen & Will have worked so hard to maintain the caliber and excellence associated with the program. They have the complete and total support of our vast & engaged alumni community.
You may not realize this but Louisville is the heartbeat of the Cheerleading World. Our graduates are among the industry’s best coaches, athletes, event producers, judges, industry experts and more. The impact Louisville cheerleading has had on the ENTIRE spirit industry is undeniable.
Our alumni have been waiting for the opportunity for the cheer program to stand in its own right. We hope UofL allocates our coaches administrative assistance, a fair budget, access to scholarship, in-state tuition equivalencies and student athlete services that will allow us to rival the very best schools in our country, and attract our sport’s best talent.
We are ready to mobilize and support you - but cheer can no longer stand behind dance but WITH DANCE as an equal, and our leaders - James, Misty & Calen need the chance to build on the program they have maintained over decades. We would like to open dialogue with the university as how we can shape the future and assist in every way possible.
We urge you to support our Cheer Coaching staff as you rebuild and reframe the spirit program for the future.
Hundreds of athletes flock to Louisville, Kentucky each year to be coached by the best and learn at one of our country’s finest post secondary institutions.
Our legendary cheerleading program is a launchpad for many young people. It is crucial that it continue to operate under the direction of its experienced, decorated and loyal staff with direct support from the university and its Athletic Department.
Sincerely,
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
December 20, 2018
Reached 100 supporters
December 18, 2018
December 18, 2018
Seeing these names stack up reminds me of the countless hours we spent on that mat together. We are on the verge of hitting that next benchmark and I need you to pass this link to a former teammate right now so we can keep this momentum moving forward.
December 16, 2018
We are on the verge of hitting one hundred signatures and I need your help to push us over that mark right now. Seeing this momentum reminds me of the drive we all cultivated on that mat and it proves that our community is still just as competitive as ever.
63 Comments
Couldn’t be more proud of the UL cheer team, legacy and tradition! Lifelong friendships that are without a doubt family continue to fill my soul bucket up! James and Misty (and I’ll add André and Sherrill Zimmerman) will forever be the foundation of the past, present and future of our internationally known cheer program! Proud alumnus and championship ring owner from 1987-1991 who fully supports this petition!! L1C4
UofL cheer shouldn’t be punished by another mans mistakes. Instead, this should mark a time for a new era of positivity and quality leadership to begin!
We support James Speed and Misty Hodges. Being a feeder program into U of L and alumn, I hope that now the Spirit program can be considered athletes and finally get the support and recognition needed in order to thrive. ❤️
I'm one of the luckiest people in the world to be connected to and to have worked with James, Misty, and Calen. I've learned so much from all three as well as cheering for the University of Louisville. I have grown tremendously not only as a business professional and aspiring entrepreneur but also as a human being. James, Misty, and Calen are all visionaries, idea generators, revolutionary, doer's not just talkers. They push people to become their best in every aspect and they live by that example every day. These coaches (My Family) and this program is an inspiration to me and to many all over the world and is responsible for so many dreams coming true, including my own.
Thank you to Misty, James, and Calen for the amazing experience that brought so many opportunities my way from being a part of such a prestigious program (including meeting my husband who also cheered for UofL). Shannon (Stotz) May, Proud Alumni ‘06-‘08 Southern California
This is perfect. Louisville Cheer program is a winning program, that drives a large amount of athletes from around the country to attend Uof every year. This program needs support so that it can continue to be a leading and winning program. Louisville Cheer has helped so many athletes and does provide career opportunities for athletes in the cheer industry post graduation. It develops kids into adults, turns them into experts and pushes them mentally and physically at the highest level of cheerleading.
Feel very strong about supporting our youth and young adults. Hope this helps
Go Cards!!!
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Couldn’t be more proud of the UL cheer team, legacy and tradition! Lifelong friendships that are without a doubt family continue to fill my soul bucket up! James and Misty (and I’ll add André and Sherrill Zimmerman) will forever be the foundation of the past, present and future of our internationally known cheer program! Proud alumnus and championship ring owner from 1987-1991 who fully supports this petition!! L1C4