Homecoming weekend started off with an alumni banquet that didn’t come equipped with a generation gap.
The banquet was held in honor of WTAMU alumni cheerleaders, including Debbie Yarbrough, a WT cheerleader 25 years ago during the 87-88 season. Her son, Haden Burkhalter, was also in attendance and has since followed in his mothers footsteps as he started on the cheer squad his freshman year at WT.
“I am so proud to have my son following in my footsteps at WT,” Yarbrough said. “I always thought my daughter would follow in my footsteps, but instead it’s my son. I am very proud of him.”
Burkhalter said he was looking forward to not only cheer squad this year, but also coming in next year as a veteran cheerleader.
“I am excited to be a part of the cheer squad this year, and I’ll be a veteran next year since everyone is graduating,” Burkhalter said.
The cheerleaders and alumni walked together at both the pigskin revue and homecoming parade on Oct.13.
The opportunity to celebrate the history of the WT cheerleaders went along with this year’s theme, “Come Home” and is a representation of the traditions of WT and the idea that people really can come home and celebrate their life as a Buff.
“It’s great to see WT uphold the traditions of old and allow the alumni to celebrate with the current cheer squad members,” Luke Dyer, senior English major, said.
The cheerleading alumni cheered with the current squad for the first half of the Homecoming game and were on the field for the crowning of the 2012 Homecoming King and Queen, Jeremy “Turok” Tarango of the Wesley and the Maroon Platoon, and the cheerleader’s own Allison Ashby.
