Pauline Zernott has been involved with the LSU cheerleaders for the past 24 years. She started as a cheerleader while in college and today is the proud leader of the spirit squads for the university, which includes the cheerleaders and the Tiger Girls. "I actually came to LSU with no intentions of being a cheerleader," says Zernott. Her love was gymnastics. But, after a knee injury that kept her from performing as a gymnast, let's just say she "tumbled" into the idea of becoming a cheerleader.
"I actually was a cheerleader when Shaquille O'Neal was on the basketball team. I cheered for four years including the year our team won the 1989 College Cheerleading National Championship. Needless to say I was hooked on cheerleading." A year after graduating from LSU, Zernott became the Spirit Coordinator and Cheer Coach. "This will be my 18th season as coach/coordinator. I have been with the program half of my life. I am so fortunate to get to work with so many great kids."

There are 18 females and 18 males on the team. There are typically about 60 girls and 30 guys who try out for the team. Sophomore and second year squad member Shelby Brennan says "try-outs are always competitive with everyone really trying their hardest to be their best. You're most at risk of not making it back to the team your second year if you have lost your skills or have not increased your skill ability."

So just was does it take to be an LSU cheerleader? A lot. Brennan says, "The hardest part is the time commitment. You really have to learn how to balance your time between practice and school work." During football season there are cameras at as many sports-related practices as allowed, covering the details of who is doing what and where in preparations for the next game. However, you don't see the cameras on the cheerleaders at their rehearsals. But, believe me, they are practicing. Next to school, cheerleading must be your top priority. Each week the team puts in about ten hours of practice as well as strength and conditioning workouts. This is all in addition to the weekly games and public appearances. And, this is a yearly commitment. Zernott explains, "We start the season off with a week long safety camp during July and come back to school two weeks prior to the start of class to work on the what we will be doing at the games and events. Our first football game is usually Labor Day weekend and we don't end until the next tryout."
It doesn't stop there. The team also cheers for a few soccer matches, home and away football games, volleyball, men's and women's basketball and gymnastics. They are proud to support the community and make countless appearances in the name of charity. However, Saturday of a home game is probably their busiest day as the squad is expected to participate in a number of events on and off campus as well as the game itself.
The cheerleaders are also a competition squad. According to Zernott, the team must keep that competitive edge in order to attract the best of the best for their squad. "A lot has changed in cheerleading over the past 20 years. It has become very athletic.
We compete in the Collegiate National Cheerleading Championships each January. The team looks forward to the competition as it is an opportunity to showcase their talents among the other cheer teams across the country. We usually finish in the top five. This year our Tiger Girls finished first in Hip Hop, we were so proud of them!"
Although cheerleading is not considered an actual sport at LSU, it is at many other universities across the country. Most of the team is actually from Louisiana. However, there are currently members from Texas, Tennessee and Mississippi. About the team Zernott adds, "Many of the guys on our team are former high school athletes that don't go on to the collegiate level in their sport. For them cheerleading is a way to remain athletic and continue to be involved in athletic. On the other hand, most of the girls have been competitive cheerleaders and/or gymnasts.
Logan Raborn is the younger brother of Braley Raborn, a male cheerleader who recently graduated. He saw how much fun his brother had as a cheerleader, he decided to try out and he made it. "It was difficult to make the team because it was my first time to ever try cheerleading. I didn't do high school cheerleading." Raborn also reports that he gets a lot of support from his professors to make sure he does not get behind in his scholastics as a result of all the time it takes to be on the squad.
Zernott is proud of her team, and for good reason. But that does not mean she is not tough. "We expect the best out of our team and nothing less," says Zernott. "The way we represent LSU is everything!"

Photos by Steve Franz, LSU Staff Photographer