The purpose of the PHS Cheerleading squad is to promote spirit at school function and represent PHS throughout the community. The cheerleading squad is comprised of several members of students who attend Phoebus High School in Hampton, Virginia. The cheerleading squad performs at football games, basketball games, Pep rallys and community events.

To purchase the needed cheer mats for safety.

Phoebus High School Cheer teams currently have NO mats to practice with. We have been using the PHS wrestling mats when they are available. We are 1 of the few Hampton Roads School that DOES NOT have the required VHSL competition mats to practice on. We would use the funds to purchase the needed 7 mats to have a safe and secure area to practice cheer stunts for both teams ( Varsity & JV). Our teams are currently practicing on the NEW Wooden Gym floor, but due to the extensive stunts, team members must work extremely hard to not drop a stunt to avoid injury to a team mate. Cheerleading Safety is a main concern and it is a responsibility to provide the students with the needed equipment. This equipment is very expensive but needed.

Phoebus High School Varsity & JV teams mentor and work with Eaton Middle School Cheer Club ( Middle school can only call their cheer team an after school club). Both teams in the past 4 years have mentored this club with talks on cheering at the high school level, hygiene, how to work with a others on a team, and building character. We also teach the club new cheers. We also work with YH Thomas each Thanksgiving by serving and feeding families.

We believe that the cheer program would grow if we had the proper equipment to provide a safe area for the teams to practice. The Varsity teams have been traveling for the last 6 -7 years to YH Thomas to utilize their mats during competition practice because we do not own the equipment. We are grateful that this service is available, but we loose practice time traveling to the location. With the mats located at our school, we could provide this needed equipment for BOTH teams and for other organizations in our school that may benefit from using them.

Phoebus HS Cheer coaches will search several websites for the 7 cheer mats (the mats are 6' x 42' long at $610 -$680 for each mat; VHSL competition floor mats are made up of 7 mats secured with velcro strips). Once the most affordable mats are located, order and wait patiently for delivery. Due to the high cost for this item, the HCS athletic program are only able to provide the team with small amounts of funds each year to help with purchasing needed equipment. In the past several years, the HCS budget has cut back on funds distributed for several teams. Team Fundraising activities have been arranged for the 2017 -18 school year to compensate for other additional needed equipment.

I would like to include the website for the purchase of the mats. I have searched several websites and LOVED the idea of using recycled material to create the mats. ECO-Friendly ways to reuse materials! Please view the mats and the information on how they are created.
http://www.tiffinmats.com/products/ecosportmat/index.html