Flippin' over March Madness

Today, seconds before the Jayhawks bound onto the floor at Kemper Arena, Kansas University head cheerleader Marcus Bush will sprint across the court carrying a large KU flag streaming behind a 10-foot pole. His energetic cohorts will be close behind running, jumping and punching themselves and their pompoms high into the noisy air. Full Story.

After more than 100 years, KU cheerleading has grown, changed

What came first, cheerleaders or megaphones? Cheerleader lore has it that on Nov. 2, 1898, a University of Minnesota football fan was so upset to see his beloved Golden Gophers heading toward yet another defeat that he jumped from the stands, faced the crowd and led them chanting ... Full Story.

• Gallery 1: lo-res | hi-res
• Gallery 2: lo-res | hi-res

Video 1(Combined routine with the KU dance team): Play | Download

Video 2(Interviews with current Cheerleaders): Play | Download

INSTRUCTIONS:
To download a .mov to your computer, right-click (Mac control-click) on the file and select "Save link to Disk" or "Save Target As ..."

Megan on trying out and getting accidentally cut: "Actually, it was a funny story ..."

• play | download (1 minute, 24 seconds; 1,980 k)

Ashley on the time commitment: "... Football season is always busier, it seems like..."

• play | download (33 seconds; 788 k)

Ashley on becoming a cheerleader: "My Mom was a gymnast, my dad was a gymnast ..."

• play | download (20 seconds; 470 k)

Ashley on the social benefits: "It totally enhances your social life ..."

• play | download (39 seconds; 920 k)

Cat on her responsiblities: "... uniforms, tryouts, day-to-day operations..."

• play | download (36 seconds; 854 k)

• View all audio clips

INSTRUCTIONS:
To download a .mov to your computer, right-click (Mac control-click) on the file and select "Save link to Disk" or "Save Target As ..."

Members of the KU cheerleading squad are, from left:
Back row: Chris Calovich, Marcus Bush, Mike Payne, Nick Erker, Chris Veit and Adam Reese.
Second from top: Heather Hellman, Tracy Manhnieo, Nikila Heggestad, Jennifer Hein , Carolyn Benson, Kayce Seidl, Aly Scaletty and Wendy Wayland
Kneeling center: Meryl Miller, Lauren Hutchison, and Brehan Smarinsky.
Front row: Jill Naylor, Cara Walstrom, Abbey Archer, Sarah Pikul, Ashley Schlotzhauer and Erin Walker.

Members not shown above:
Meagan Bryne, Jake Dornbrack, Brandon Douglas, Staci Frush, David Megee, Kurtis Nickel, CW O'Brien and Kent Spitz.