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St. Gregorys University website
May 25, 2010
Competitive Cheer Added to Varsity Sports
Competitive cheer soon will join the list of varsity sports at St. Gregory’s University. The cheer program, set to be initiated this fall, will host several walk-on clinics and tryouts beginning June 19 and continuing through December. The team will be led by highly decorated coach David Urmie.
“I am excited to have the opportunity to build a foundation for a dynasty through the competitive cheer program at SGU,” said Urmie, owner of the All-Star Cheerleading program Tribe Cheer in Oklahoma City. “The St. Gregory’s program is sure to become a well-respected and appreciated part of the campus community.”
SGU’s cheer team will compete against others in the Sooner Athletic Conference in search of a bid to next year’s national competition. The NAIA currently considers competitive cheer an “emerging sport” and is working toward being the first collegiate governing body to host competitive cheer and dance as a “National Championship Sport.” Until that time, the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) will host the NAIA teams’ national competition.
“Adding a sport like competitive cheer will definitely raise the spirit level on campus as well as in the community,” said SGU athletic director Don Sumner. “We are privileged to have someone as experienced as Coach Urmie to lead us in our inaugural season.”
Urmie has coached for nine seasons at Tribe Cheer, leading teams to state championships and national titles. His team most recently was the silver medalist at the 2009 Cheerleading Worlds and earned a fourth-place finish at this year’s Worlds, which included hundreds of teams. Urmie has worked for NCA, receiving Rookie of the Year honors in addition to Top Veteran Instructor. He won an NCA national title with the University of Central Arkansas and sideline cheered with the University of Oklahoma in the 2000-01 season.
Competitive cheer will become the eighth sport at SGU, joining men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, baseball and softball.