Spotlight on College: The UCLA Dance Team

Here at UltimateCheerleaders.com, we tend to focus our efforts on the professional squads. I fear we do not cover colleges and universities as much as we would like. In truth, I believe I am the only one here that does. I suppose that’s because I occasionally catch a college game or two. In this case, college basketball and the squad, the UCLA Dance Team.

Last Saturday, I was able to score a lower level ticket at cost (no small feat) to UCLA’s game against the Cal Bears. As a UCLA alumnus, I was rooting for the Southern Branch of the University of California against our cousins from the North, but on this day the basketball gods did not favor the 11 time National Champions. The hot shooting Bears beat the Bruins, 72-58.

Well, the day was not a total loss. I was able to snap a few photographs of the renown UCLA Dance Team.

The UCLA Spirit Squad is under the direction of Mollie Vehling and the Dance Team coach is Nicole Cohen, a former Boston Celtic Dancer and current member of the Clipper Spirit Dance Team.  Both Mollie and Nicole were former UCLA Dance Team members…well after my time at the University, when I was Second Vice Chairman of Rally Committee.

They do a fine job along with the other Spirit Squad coaches, Brian Yi and Greg Calvert.  But with limited funding, maintaining this level of excellence is difficult.  So, if anyone is interested in donating to the UCLA Spirit Squad, you can make a contribution here.

A few years ago, the UCLA Dance Team caught the eye of many in attendance at the Pacific 10 Conference Basketball Tournament with their good looks and inspired dance routines, no small feat when you consider the more famous squad across town.

I used to shoot for a weekly newspaper, so cheerleaders are not the only thing I am capable of shooting. And with these prime lower level seats, I took a few snaps of the UCLA basketball team.

Here, Freshman Reeves Nelson demonstrates the wrong way to shoot a basketball.

UCLA Head Coach Ben Howland lovingly offers some words of encouragement to his young student athletes.

Well, that’s all for now.  Until next time.