New to Edmond is a city wide youth recreational cheerleading league, EYRC, Inc., for children currently in attending 2nd thru 6^th grades. All three Edmond High School Varsity Cheer and Pom squads participate as coaches through a mentor program established for the EYRC league. The summer league season begins with a youth cheer training camp July 7^th thru 11^th at Mitch Park. Following camp will be 1 to 2 practice schedule per week replaced with games in the fall. Children can enroll May 10^th at Santa Fe High School between the hours of 10 am and 4 pm. In cooperation with Edmond Parks and Recreational, Edmond Public Schools, and Edmond All –Sports, Catie Mathis, a senior at Edmond Santa Fe High, opened and incorporated the league, and named it Edmond Youth Recreational Cheerleading, Inc., EYRC. Miss Mathis met and obtained a proclamation from Edmond’s Mayor O’Neil. Participants who enroll will cheer for Edmond All-Sports tackle football teams. EYRC is non-competitive league. There are no tryouts. All youth that register and participate in the camp can be on a squad. Catie’s first season goal is to have at least 250 cheerleaders, providing one cheer squad for each EASI tackle football team. Edmond All-Sports is not affiliated with EYRC.

Participants pay a fee which includes the cost of registration, cheerleader uniform, poms, camp fee, camp uniform, equipment, and insurance. There are no gate fees, fundraisers, or dues to pay. The Varsity Cheer and Pom squads earn points towards their graduation requirements and funds for their school by volunteering as mentors and coaches throughout the season.

Catie Mathis, a Santa Fe Senior High School student, born in Edmond, moved to Broken Arrow, where she lived for 10 years before returning to Edmond. While in Broken Arrow, Miss Mathis participated with Broken Arrow Youth Football Association, BAYFA, performed competitively with Cheers to You, Cheer Dynamix, and Special Forces competitive cheer gyms, and on the Broken Arrow High School cheerleading squad. When returning to Edmond in 2005, Catie learned that city of Edmond did not have a youth recreational cheerleading league and planned to do something about it. "Economics play a huge roll in what sports a child can participate in. To compete to be a cheerleader at the high school level, one must have taken years of gymnastics and dance or have sideline experience,’ Catie has observed that students at tryouts with no experience lose against those that have the years of training. Local competitive cheerleading gyms offer training but not the experience of the sidelines. Parents find the time and cost that competitive cheerleading, gymnastics, and dance require is out of reach. In creating EYRC, Catie plans to offer similar training plus the opportunity to cheer on the sidelines at tackle football games at a far less cost and with a relaxed time schedule. In addition, she will choreograph dance routines that the squads can perform at pre-game and half times for football fans. "As children grow in the EYRC program they can acquire the skills and experience to effectively compete for the varsity positions in school", says Miss Mathis, EYRC Cheer Director continues, "I believe the youth of Edmond are ready for this league and will truly enjoy the spirited environment it offers."

Parents interested in enrolling their child can email Catie at catiemathis@cox.net or call the EYRC Office, 315-7061 for more information.