Football’s guardian angel system needs some updating, improvement

It’s a longstanding tradition: Senior football players begin their season with a “guardian angel” cheerleader watching over them. The designated varsity cheerleader supports each player and wishes them luck by giving them a weekly gift, often home-baked goods, before every home game. This year, the girls were angels for five home games and the Los Gatos away game.

Due to a smaller number of senior players, only the senior cheerleaders were angels this year. The players fill out papers requesting  treats they like at the beginning of the season so the girls have something to use as a reference. After their guardian angels are revealed at the end of the season, the players thank them by serving the cheerleaders a group lunch and giving them each a small gift. Yet this one-time favor returned by the players is hardly reciprocal considering the time and effort the girls put into their presents throughout the entire season.

While many cheerleaders enjoy the tradition and have no problem with it, others aren’t thrilled with the obligation to regularly give up their Thursday nights to bake fresh brownies and Rice Krispie treats. According to one cheerleader, the girls have turned to store-bought treats for a majority of the home games this year, as the obligation to bake on school nights is time-consuming and stressful when added to the girls’ busy schedules.

For their part, cheerleaders see themselves as another sport team, and sport teams are not a service that exist to support another sport team. The baking obligation also brings about larger questions about gender inequality. Looking at the bigger picture, the cheer team already only focuses mainly on cheering for male sports, specifically football and basketball.

Recently, numerous incidents concerning gender equality have occurred. The concern about rape on college campuses, the recent passage of California Senate Bill 967 and all the hoopla over Ray Rice and athlete indulgences, especially regarding the treatment of women, emphasizes the need for schools to ensure equal treatment of boys and girls. Unfortunately, the gender gap is only widened by a distinctly 1950s activity like the guardian angels.

The gifts are always dropped off in the office on Friday mornings to ensure a degree of anonymity, and the boys come pick them up during the day. Though most football players express their gratitude, some cheerleaders hate the pressure to bake or buy exceptional treats that vary from week to week because the players have high expectations and tend to compare their gifts.

The nature of comparing gifts with one another, instead of appreciating what they are given, implies that some football players expect cheerleaders to essentially serve them with the best possible treatment. This is concerning because it deepens the gap already present between gender stereotypes.

Two varsity cheerleaders told me they try to give the players gifts of equal value. Even then, the boys still compare and say some are better than others. These two cheerleaders said most of the players don’t seem grateful and don’t even hide their disappointment or approval when some cheerleaders are right there.

The players I spoke to said they do their best to thank the cheerleaders for what they do, and they try to offer sincere appreciation.

If this level of respect is to be upheld, however, then all of the football players, not just a few, should be showing their gratitude.

While it may be true that this guardian angel activity is a way for the cheerleaders and football players to bond, the investment of effort and time between the cheerleaders and the football players is imbalanced.

In other co-ed sports, teams have “secret buddy” systems before their games, in which a player gives gifts to someone throughout the season while also receiving gifts from their own secret buddy. In contrast, the guardian angel activity is a one-way exchange and should be altered so that football players also provide gifts to cheerleaders in a balanced exchange. This way, the obligation to prepare a gift is not sexist or devaluing to anyone.

Also, the girls have cheer competitions in the winter and spring. Some cheerleaders have said they would appreciate some treats on the Fridays before these performances. Maybe the football players could provide treats for even just one of these — and it would go a long way in promoting equality.

Both parents and students have expressed their concern about the message that this tradition spreads to girls about their gender obligations, as well as boys on their attitude and treatment of females.

Even parents who do not have kids on the cheer team were concerned when informed of this system. Some said the guardian angels tradition sends a 1950s message that women should fit into the mold of a homemaker.

Cheerleaders understand how important their encouragement is to football players and are glad they can help to raise spirit. The boys who are grateful and give good gifts in response make it a great tradition. The girls would be happy to continue the tradition, but would like to be appreciated for it.