At the Northern Oklahoma College Board of Regents meeting on Feb. 15, multiple budget-cutting strategies were presented to the Board in the budget reduction plan for the 2023-24 school year, including a plan to eliminate competitive cheer at both NOC Enid and NOC Tonkawa. The Board approved the budget reduction plan that was presented.

NOC President Clark Harris stated, “This means the college will not have competitive cheer programs, but the Enid and Tonkawa campuses will have cheer in a different form. Cheer is an important component of student life that promotes spirit at basketball games and other events. NOC wants to continue our tradition of having cheer on Enid and Tonkawa campuses.”

The new version of cheer will be a club-level sport, not sanctioned by the NJCAA. They will continue to perform at all home basketball games, other Northern functions, and special events in the communities engaging NOC Mavericks and Jets students, employees, alumni and community members with school spirit. The cheering may include some elements of dance in routines, but will not include tumbling, lifts and stunts.

Scholarships extended to current freshman cheer team members that have already signed Letters of Intent for the 2023-2024 academic year will be honored. Those students accepting the scholarships will be part of the new version of cheer. Beyond honoring the scholarship commitments of existing members of the cheer squads who have already signed a Letter of Intent, no new scholarships will be awarded to the cheer clubs.

For the next school year, NOC will establish the cheer clubs with a sponsor assigned to each campus. Try-outs will be coordinated through the Office of Student Affairs and Athletics. Northern has had a rich history of some amazing cheer squads over the years recognizing the cheerleader’s role to help promote and spread school pride throughout the year. The cheer clubs will continue to help boost the energy and enthusiasm produced by the crowd supporting our sports teams and other activities, resulting in a more united and supportive campus.