Brenda Griner has fond memories of the spirit and traditions that surrounded Lamar University football. Now, she eagerly anticipates a new and exciting era of Cardinal spirit.
Griner is the artistic director of Lamar’s Spirit Team – a group that spreading its wings in preparation for the return of football in 2010. Southeast Texas dancers and cheerleaders have a golden opportunity to be part of the action, Griner said.
A second round of Spirit Team auditions is scheduled at 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, in the group fitness room of the Sheila Umphrey Recreational Sports Center on the Lamar campus.
“I am truly a Cardinal, and, when I attended Lamar, we still had football,” said Griner, a Port Neches resident who earned a bachelor’s degree in dance in 1987 and a master of science degree in 2003. “This is an exciting time, seeing all the traditions about to be brought back. It’s wonderful for campus – and the community – to experience Lamar’s growth.
“If you were here in the ’80s, you remember that time. I can’t wait to see how this affects the look and spirit of the university. It will bring a lot of new opportunities to high school dancers and cheerleaders who might otherwise leave the area.”
The “new” Spirit Team “will have to do it all,” Griner said. “We have a lot of talent. We’re looking for dancers who cheer and cheerleaders who dance.”
In addition to serving as the Spirit Team’s artistic director, Griner is associate director of programs for Lamar Recreational Sports. She has performed as a professional dancer and choreographer all over the world, including Japan, Paris and Las Vegas. Her career as entertainer includes movies, VH1, cruise ships, musicals and opera companies. Griner says her position in Recreational Sports is her “new love.” Griner is a 1983 graduate of Port Neches-Groves High School, where she was a lieutenant Indianette.
Lamar’s Spirit Team is an elite Division 1 dance team that performs at all home basketball games as well as various community events. The Spirit Team produces a cabaret show every spring to help raise scholarship money. A limited number of partial residence hall scholarships are now available, Griner said.
Members must be full-time students and have a minimum grade-point average of 2.5. Incoming freshmen, as well as students already enrolled at Lamar, are eligible to audition.
Spirit Team members attend camp each summer and have consistently won high awards, Griner said.
During auditions Sept. 13, each participant will learn combinations across the floor, such as turns, leaps and jazz walks, as well as a short jazz routine and cheer. Participants in the auditions should wear dance clothes, Griner said.
Additional information is available from Griner at bggriner@my.lamar.edu.
