Conference tournaments are about basketball but also so much more: the fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The CAA Tournament is taking place in Washington, DC this weekend and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD will be covering all of the angles so you can look forward to a cascade of coverage in the days ahead. Jon Teitel’s next interview subject is Hofstra cheerleader Kimberley Casey, who talked about making the dean’s list and having the NCAA tourney canceled 2 years ago.
You grew up in New York: what made you choose Hofstra? Cheerleading!
You have been cheering for almost a decade: how did you 1st get into it, and what is the best part? When I was in middle school I just randomly tried out for the team and have kept at it. The best part is the memories that I have made.
What do you think the role of a college cheerleader is today, and how has it changed over time? It has always been about being an ambassador for our sport, but the competitive aspect has definitely increased over time. My teammates and I work really hard to improve our overall school spirit.
You are double-majoring in Public Relations/Psychology: why did you pick those subjects, and what do you hope to do after graduating? The post-graduate plan is law school. I chose psychology because I am interested in how the mind works and I can do a lot of things with a PR degree as well: as you can tell I am interested in many different areas.
You made the dean’s list last semester: how do you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? Our team is very big on academics and we have study groups for specific majors.
2 years ago your school won the CAA tourney only to learn a couple of days later that the NCAA tourney: what kind of emotions do you recall from that rollercoaster of a week? It was heartbreaking for our seniors to work so hard and then have it taken away…but at least we had another chance this year.
What is the atmosphere like on campus this week now that the conference tournament is here (especially since the Pride are the #3 seed)? Our home games this year were awesome with a lot of great energy, and we had many fans make the trip to DC.
How does your school decide who gets to go to DC, and what does it mean to you to see your group doing their thing in front of a national TV audience? Everyone wants to come so it is mostly based on availability. We love performing, especially as a team, so this is a great opportunity to show our skills in a new place.
Does your squad have anything extra-special planned for the CAA Tournament this weekend? The games are pretty late so we are just here to support the team.
