YoUDee wins awards
Mascot team takes three first place awards at summer camp
12:59 p.m., Oct. 3, 2011--The University of Delaware mascot team earned three first place awards at the United Cheerleading Association and Universal Dance Association’s summer camp held at the University of Scranton (Pa.).
The perennially popular trio, comprised of YoUDee, Baby Blue and Air YoUDee, took home top trophies in the camp championship, leadership and superior (tradition) categories.
Honors Stories
National Medal of Science
Warren Award
“I was thrilled for the team to take three of the four top awards at camp,” said Sharon Harris, assistant director in the Office of Communications and Marketing and director of the mascot program. “It was especially nice to receive the Leadership Award, which is the camp’s most prestigious award.”
Harris said the camp introduces new members to the world of college mascots and coming together as a team.
“The senior members offer guidance and help to prepare the new members for the upcoming year,” Harris said. “The camp also provides time for the students to bond as a team and to meet and become friends with other college mascot performers.”
Grace, a first-year member of the team, said, “In high school, I was the only mascot, and it was great to get out there and entertain people. Here at UD, it is more about nonverbal communications. You have to work a lot more with signs." (Last names of student mascot performers are not used).
Returning team member Kenny said that camp participation builds confidence and let’s both new and veteran members learn how other members perform. “You don’t have to second guess yourself—it’s like taking the training wheels off.”
Senior team leader Andrew said that the UD mascot team often is seen as a model program for schools starting or adding to their mascot program. “Our program is sometimes seen as the basis of how other teams are doing and improving. We have a lot of people asking about our program.
Dance team
While the mascot team was busy breaking in new members and polishing up the skills of senior members, the UD Dance Team traveled to a Universal Dance Association camp held at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Nicole K. Daliessio-Zehnder, dance team coach, said the Wisconsin camp gave dance team members a chance to see many of the teams they will be competing against at the national championships in January.
The Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) College Cheerleading and Dance National Championships will be held from Jan. 13-15 at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla.
The Wisconsin camp also was a great way for a team with a lot of new members to begin teambuilding and bonding.
“Since they are young, they bring a new vibrance that is contagious,” Daliessio-Zehnder said. “I am excited about the initiative and freshness of the new team and look forward to the continued success of the team.”
UD cheerleaders
While the mascot and dance teams were on the road, the UD cheerleaders opted to hold a private summer camp on campus.
“The camp gave us a chance to work on the things we wanted to do in order to prepare for the upcoming season,” Ben Schreiber, cheerleading coach, said. “Having so many new members and a new all-girl squad, it was important to build chemistry and camaraderie when working on new skills with new people.”
Having secured a paid bid to attend the national championships in January, the coed team can concentrate on the routine they will be using at the UCA nationals in January, Schreiber said.
“Both teams are going well, and the new team members are starting to get into the swing of things with our demanding fall schedules,” Schreiber said. “I’m excited to see what they can accomplish this year.”
Article by Jerry Rhodes
Photos by Evan Krape