University of Southern California athletic director Lynn Swann (Lynn Swann) signed a decision in the fall to finally remove the famous showgirl cheerleader from home basketball games for the remainder of the 2018-19 college basketball season.
The decision was made jointly by the Trojan Movement Department and the Student Affairs Department in November. However, following Saturday’s game against UCLA and extensive coverage of the showgirl’s departure by the Los Angeles Times, the decision came under fire as alumni and school supporters became increasingly dissatisfied.
Unlike the showgirl team’s performance at home games, Trojan Dance Force (a dance and hip-hop group founded in 1994) is the only performance group that supports men’s and women’s basketball teams. In a school statement provided to The Times, the University of Southern California cited busy schedules as the main reason for removing "Beauty Girl" from basketball games altogether.
The statement read: "Due to ongoing game management issues, time constraints, and space issues at the Galen Center, the USC Showgirls team will not play in the men's and women's basketball games for the remainder of the 2018-19 season." "Over the years. Tried various options to accommodate the showgirl and the Troy dance team...after being in the arena."
Hilary Hodgkins, Song Girls’ alumni advisor, told The Times that she has been frustrated: “I don’t think I have been fully explained. When I asked, I was blocked. I don’t. Understand. I hope I can answer this question: As far as my life is concerned, why does track and field even worry that the dance team is meaningless to me.
“I’ve been participating in the sports of the University of Southern California since I was 2 years old. It’s just becoming more and more corporate, more and more corporate, more and more corporate, which is very difficult. This university is steeped in tradition The showgirl is part of this tradition."
The Times and other media pointed out that the special timing of the decision to exclude "showgirls" made Swann an important microscope. Despite strong protests from fans and supporters, Swann made it last fall. The controversial choice of retaining football coach Clay Helton. Helton fired; a pay banner fluttered over the Los Angeles Coliseum, calling for Helton to step down. According to the audience, some of the singers sang the popular "Helton on Fire" carol in the USC home game against Notre Dame last year.
The Song Girls is a group usually composed of 12 members who cheer at home football and basketball games. It has been in existence for 50 years and is mainly related to the Trojan sports brand. recruitment). The USC game on December 1st of this season marked the first time since 1968 that a showgirl has not appeared on the sidelines.
"I hope to see more exchanges between the sports department and the USC showgirls," Charlene Zettel, the founding member of the showgirls in 1968, told The Times. "And I want the university to realize that when young people are wholeheartedly involved in sports or these spiritual projects, they will learn a lot of lessons and they will change their lives. So don't minimize these opportunities. Celebrate them."