Madeleine Coles
Life Editor
Many sports are on the prowl at this time of year for athletes to join the team, but opportunities for female athletes in particular can sometimes seem limited. However, female athletes at ISU have at least two opportunities to join a team this semester.
The Bengal Dancers are holding tryouts for the 2016-2017 season.
According to Coach Kolissa Manchan, any woman at any class level can try out for the team – although most who audition typically have at least basic dance training.
“We do jazz, hip hop and pom styles so they need to be at least familiar with all three,” Manchan said. “Although we do have some women try out who have never danced before.”
Once a girl makes the team, they’re faced with a busy schedule, but not an impossible one according to Manchan.
“I always tell the girls, ‘if you want something bad enough you can make it work,’” Manchan said, adding that several dancers have danced on the team all four years while maintaining good academic records.
Practice for the Bengal Dancers includes regular practice on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for three hours and morning workouts on Tuesdays and Thursdays for an hour.
In addition to practice time, the Bengal Dancers perform at every home football game, most home basketball games and even a few soccer and rugby games throughout the semester.
They also compete twice a year at United Spirit Association Nationals and National Dance Alliance Nationals.
“It is a harder sport and it is hard to go all year,” Manchan said. “But it is very rewarding.”
An obvious reward of being on the team is the scholarship money, but Manchan says there are many more rewards.
“It’s a great way to go to school and be involved. I always say you’ve got a built-in family,” Manchan said. “And they can be doing what they love to do, and they get a scholarship out of it.”
In addition to the Bengal Dancers, the women’s track and field team is also holding tryouts.
Track and field is heavily recruiting this year, as numbers have been low lately.
Women’s Head Coach Hillary Merkley said many kids don’t try out because they fear that if they weren’t recruited in high school, they won’t be able to make the team.
Although there is a limited opportunity for scholarships, Merkley said many students have tried out for the team and improved to a level where they can earn scholarships or contribute at the conference level.
“One reason to encourage people to come and try out is to see where they’re out. Just because they weren’t recruited out of high school doesn’t mean they can’t compete at a high level,” Merkley said.
According to Merkley, many male students try out for track and field, but the female numbers are continually low.
“I’m not sure if it’s a lack of interest or a lack of feeling like they can do it, but I think it might be more of the second,” Merkely said. “So we just wanted to try to encourage female students a little bit more. There [are] opportunities available; women are just not taking advantage of them.”
Currently there are 37 women trying out for the team versus 47 men.
“Because of gender equity stuff, there’s a need to have more women out,” Merkley said.
The track and field team typically practices 20 hours a week during the outdoor season and competes at nine meets, but Merkley said it can easily be done with time management.
Tryouts for both the Bengal Dancers and the track and field team will be held on Sept. 12, and more information can be found by contacting the coaches of the respective teams.
