December is a month where crazy footy stories usually emerge, often because we’ve got nothing else to talk about while we try to fill the gap between the release of the draw and trial matches kicking off in February.
Today we’ve got a peach from the Bulldogs – they’re dumping their cheerleaders!
For those who haven’t caught up with the story, here’s the piece in today’s Daily Telegraph.
The response to this story, as you would expect, has been mixed. Some believe it’s political correctness gone mad, others believe it’s a decision in tune with the Bulldogs’ fan base and the changing attitudes of crowds and what they expect in terms of entertainment at NRL matches.
Some people have spoken today about how having cheerleaders works totally against the whole Women in League premise that the NRL and its clubs eagerly tries to push.
I actually think it does the opposite.
We need to find as many ways as possible for women to be involved in rugby league. Yes, women should strive to be involved at the highest level of the game – like Raelene Castle who is the CEO of the Bulldogs or like the many female media and communications officers at clubs across the code. Hopefully we will see a female referee in the NRL for the first time in 2014 and heck, one day we’ll probably see a female NRL CEO, or head coaches. All would obviously be great for the game.
But striving for the bigger picture does not mean we should automatically rule out the grass roots.
Cheerleaders are about more than guys having something to perve at – that is such an out-dated and simple-minded view.
The cheerleaders at NRL clubs get paid to do what they do. It’s an excellent, safe way to earn cash for many who are studying at university or getting started in the workforce and need to supplement their income.
For many cheerleaders, it’s an excellent thing to have on the resume – many are aspiring dancers who hope to go on to have major careers in the arts, and having professional items on their resume such as working as a cheerleader at a major sporting code is a big plus.
Ms Castle wants to bring the girls “in house” and have them involved in a more “professional evolution”.
Fair enough, but heck, some of these girls just want to dance. It’s their careers, their passion, and/or their dreams.
“We want to go in a more professional direction, where they do more than just dance in revealing outfits”.
But it is more than that, Ms Castle. What a shame that the club considers that all their cheerleaders do is dance in revealing outfits – perhaps that says more about the club and Ms Castle than it does those who want the cheerleaders to be kept around.
The Bulldogs are a great club with a wonderful history. Taking away parts of the match day experience under the guise of making professional dancers “ambassadors” really is low blow.