There’s a little extra green and white inside of the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame (SSHOF). Instead of the players on the field, a new exhibit has been crafted to honour the 65th anniversary of the Saskatchewan Roughriders Cheerleading Team. It’s a sweet moment for Carol Gay Bell who started the team in 1961, directing a group of eight cheerleaders at the time. “It’s hard to think that it was 65 years ago, that’s a long time,” she said. “It’s wonderful that this exhibit just brings back so many memories. What a joy that they have done something like this here. It covers everything that you could cover, and it could cover the whole building.” As the sport rose in popularity in Saskatchewan, the group of cheerleaders quickly expanded from eight, to 16, and then to 24. It didn’t take long to make a mark on the crowds in 1961. “The crowd loved it, we involved the crowd in a lot of the cheers and of course, that’s the point, getting the crowd excited. The team gets excited when the fans are.” Gay Bell directed the team for 17 years, and her impact has lived on to inspire various generations of cheerleaders wearing the green. “What drew me was the team, the camaraderie, the group of women that came together to support and be a part of the Saskatchewan Roughriders community. I was just hooked, and I think I still am,” said Linda Allen Hardisty, who was a cheerleader for the Roughriders from 1989-1994. She currently is a co-director for the Canadian Football Cheerleaders Alumni Organization. Displayed in the exhibit are historic photos, Grey Cup rings, old outfits and various items that require a little bit of backstory. “I thought this would be a really great opportunity to share their stories and learn a little bit more about cheerleading in Saskatchewan, because they haven’t really been in the forefront of history,” said Robyn Jensen, the curator of the SSHOF, who worked on the exhibit with her summer student, Josephine Bellegarde. With cheerleading being a staple in Riderhood, Gay Bell says that cheerleaders possess qualities such as dedication and perseverance. “If it’s cheerleading or the arts, I think that people don’t realize the work that goes into it. They [spectators] think you just stand up and sing, or you just stand up and dance or cheer,” she said. “You really want to do what you’re doing. Above all, the thing I look for in people is passion. If you don’t have the passion, then find something that you do have the passion for.” The exhibit will officially be open until Nov. 6.
