Texas A&M To Have First Female Yell Leader?
Texas A&M University is all about traditions.
From yell leaders, to hand signals, to the rigid class structure across campus, the Aggies take their rituals seriously.
With the addition of a female cheer squad at basketball games since the 1990s, some of the traditions have been tweaked somewhat. Basketball, is not football, however, and the suggestion that a female yell leader could join the ranks next season has stirred up some substantial controversy.
Samantha Ketchum, an A&M junior, has petitioned the school to become its first female yell leader in the history of the tradition. Ketchum has several roadblocks that stand in the way, the first being her gender, another being the fact she is not a member of the University’s Corps of Cadets from whom yell leaders are chosen each year.
With a shift to the Southeastern Conference from the Big XII Conference, Texas A&M has, at least on the surface, been willing to dispose of certain traditions for more national presence.
The long-time rivalry with the Texas Longhorns will be forgone for the near future as will the other traditional, regional rivalries that were a part of A&M’s Big XII affiliation.
When the time comes, will Texas A&M break with tradition, and give Ketchum a chance to make history as the school’s first female yell leader? To this point, student opinion is mixed, and student opinion is a good barometer.
Some believe the tradition of five male yell leaders should not be changed. Others believe it is time to give a female yell leader– with the proper pedigree– a chance.
Samantha Ketchum has emphasized she is a third-generation Aggie who has strong ties to the school, and in spite of the fact she is not a part of the Corps of Cadets, has just as much school pride as any Cadet.
At heart, Texas A&M is a conservative campus with mirroring ideals.
Will they break from this dogma and give Samantha Ketchum a chance?
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