THE ROOM WITH THE RED CARPET.

When I first went to Tomball HS, the building itself was very plain and had a simple floor plan. So typical of the schools of those days unlike now where the facades are architectural wonders all with each new build trying to outdo the last one. The walls were institutional beige-ish and the carpets were institutional grey with some type of small pattern. My room was on the main hall right across from the offices. It was also the cheerleaders “locker” room, meeting room, and hang out room. As part of the program to build up the cheer program, we had a sixth period cheerleading/athletic class. In my first several years, we began to make progress in creating what would become a nationally ranked program. Those early “girls” started from the ground up learning new skills, adjusting some attitudes about what their “job” was, and doing their best to figure out what to do with me. I’m not sure what practice was like before I arrived, but I got the message very quickly that me idea of practice was new to them. I believed that structure, practicing to reach a goal, and repetition was the foundation for success. We would spend the hour of practice with the hour broken up into 15 minute segments of different skills. I had a list and as we finished each skill I would mark out that one thing. Soon, the girls learned to work the list, don’t goof off and slow things down, do better each day, and they realized the quicker we got through the list the quicker they were done. I hated wasted time! Lord oh Lord they hated those drills. We would end the practice doing jump after jump after endless jump. The first times we did this it was a disaster. Some of the new, younger cheerleaders had more training, Shannon Harrell could even do flip-flops! Chris Campbell and Jennifer Wedemeyer had jumps to die for and that was before drills. Using them as the models, and the other girls desire to be as good, we made progress very quickly. Boy did I use those skills and attitudes when we went to camp. This was the earliest beginnings of the need for cheerleaders to be gymnasts, jumpers, and stunters. Within a year we would become known for our “toe touches,” or “open pikes.” They were things of beauty. But pain and frustration precedes many things of beauty. In our second year, we attended summer cheer camp where we took first place every night and in the last day, we won the entire camp and several of the girls made the top cheerleaders of the camp. We had taken the first steps fulfilling what Hap and Mr. Neubauer wanted to happen.

We were presented to the school board and took the rest of the summer off. When I returned early from summer break to hold practice with the girls, I opened my classroom door and Behold! Bright red carpet was in my room! Cougar Red. Mr. Neubauer stood behind me to see my reaction which was some explanation like “wow.” He wanted everyone in the school to know this was the cheerleader’s room. Oh, and I taught some government while in there, too 

Many a laugh took place in that room. Many a tear over some boy took place in that room. Many a “spat” took place in that room from too much familiarity. Many a “chewing out” from me to the group or individuals took place in that room. We demanded so much of those ten young women. I think at times we may have demanded way more than they could handle from time to time. Their grades had to the result of doing their best in class. Their classroom conduct had to be above reproach. Their out of school activities of a social kind was always being watched as someone was always “ratting them” out. Their discipline while performing had no wiggle room for mistakes.

Soon, they became a tight group of ten team members. They began to take great pride in the team picture they presented to the community. They developed team traditions that would linger until I left Tomball. My absolute favorite was known as PARKER FARM. It came from the Renaissance Fair when there was a young helper/gopher whose last name was Parker and his family owned a farm. When his help was needed, someone, in charge, would call out “Parker Farm.” Parker Farm(s) were the newly elected cheerleaders. The idea was that just because you won the position of cheerleader did not mean you had earned it. The PFs toted equipment, put equipment out for use in practice and then broke it down for storage, carried my red director’s chair around, carried the water coolers. When we went to camp they carried in my luggage; had to shower first which meant getting up earlier than the Juniors and Seniors. They waited last to eat in the camp lunch line. You get the picture. If an older girl was elected for the first time, she became the HEAD OF THE PARKER FARMS giving her a bit of dignity. To my knowledge there was no serious hazing dispensed; it was a way for them to build tradition and pride. Every girl on the squad shared being a Parker Farm—in other words, they earned the respect of the older girls.

There are many stories to tell about my “girls” on the cheer squads and my students who sat in those desks in the room with the red carpet. As I prepare to write what I think will be two books, I want to honor my grandmother’s legacy in one book and the joy that came from teaching at three of the best high schools one could ever work in the second book. I hope that the book about teaching can inspire, help, remind others that teaching is truly one of the greatest professions left in this crazy world. Go Cougars!

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