Last Sunday Loyola Chicago beat Drake 64-58 in the MVC tourney title game to earn an automatic bid to next week’s NCAA tournament. The Ramblers were swept by the Bulldogs during the regular season but showed that the 3rd time is the charm as they made the NCAA tourney for the 3rd time since 2018. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Loyola Chicago cheerleader Annette Butler about working with kids and winning the conference tourney.
photo credit: Steve Woltmann
You grew up in San Diego: what made you choose Loyola Chicago? I chose Loyola because they offer a 5-year BSW/MSW program. I knew that I wanted to go into the social work field and get a master’s degree and Loyola’s program was the best opportunity for me. I also wanted to experience living in a diverse city.
How did you 1st get into cheerleading, and what is the best part? I started cheerleading in 7th grade on a Pop Warner team. I started gymnastics when I was 18 months old and took dance classes for a couple years in elementary school. Cheerleading was a way to bring both of those things together. The best part of cheerleading for me is performing and pushing myself out of my comfort zone. I also love how cheer pushes you physically to achieve new skills and goals.
What do you think the role of a college cheerleader is today, and how has it changed over time? The role of a college cheerleader to be an ambassador of the university. I think as social media and university popularity grows, cheerleaders are always looked at and should reflect the spirit of the university.
You are majoring in Social Work: why did you pick that subject, and what do you hope to do after graduating? I chose social work to make a difference in the lives of young children and adolescents. I have strong beliefs in social justice and aiding those who are marginalized in our society.
What does the cheer team do at basketball games during the season? Our job as cheerleaders is to get the crowd engaged to cheer on the players. During games we utilize stunts and cheers, as well as signs/megaphones to get the crowd on their feet.
How do you like basketball, and is that your favorite sport? In my career I have enjoyed cheering for many different sports, but I love the fast-paced excitement of basketball, which makes it one of my favorite sports to watch.
How frustrating has it been to be a cheerleader for a great basketball team during a pandemic? As sad as it was to not be on the court cheering during the pandemic, I was able to take on the role of a crowd leader in other settings, such as being a student spectator for the first time.
Last Sunday the Ramblers had a 6-PT win over Drake in the MVC tourney title game: how excited was everybody to win the conference tourney for the 2nd straight year? The energy in the arena was incredible. Loyola’s basketball program has many proud loyal fans ranging from staff to alumni to students.
Does your squad have anything extra-special planned for the NCAA Tournament? I think that our role as crowd leaders stays the same for every game, but we are looking forward to reconnecting after spring break to celebrate the win and put in the time to work on our routines during timeouts and stunts to bring to tournament games.
How does your school decide who gets to go to the tournament, and what will it mean to you to see your group doing its thing in front of a national TV audience? We have six seniors on our team, all of whom were selected to go to the tournament. We can all remember dreaming of cheering at the NCAA tournament one day after watching the team make it to the 2018 Final 4 when we were seniors in high school. After four years our dreams are finally coming true! I could not think of a better way to not only end the season, but also close out the chapter on being a collegiate cheerleader.