If you asked most people what January means to them, they’d say a fresh start, a new beginning or even a time to keep New Year’s resolutions. But if you asked Samford students, they’d tell you one thing: January means Step Sing.
Step Sing is marketed as an open to everyone tradition. Some disagree. There are rarely, if ever, any athletes involved in a show. The two are almost mutually exclusive.
“I tried to do it freshman year, but between cheer practice and the Step Sing schedule, I quit after the first practice,” junior cheerleader Jayla Duncan said.
This year, Duncan is helping with choreography for Urban Essence, a newly returning group to Step Sing.
Duncan was originally a director for Urban Essence’s show, but due to the heavy workload from her position with Step Sing and her other various leadership roles around campus, she had to step back.
Other athletes share the same sentiment that Step Sing is just too much for them to handle, but also that there’s a stigma among themselves surrounding Step Sing.
“It’s taboo for us to do it because it doesn’t really fit into our schedule,” track and field athlete Kelsey Martin said. “Anything that cuts into practice time is frowned upon from our coaches.”
The challenge seems to lie directly with spring and year-round athletes. Without ever having an off-season, or being in season during Step Sing, there isn’t room for anything else.
“Cheer is definitely year-round; it truly never ends,” Duncan said.
Being a spring-season athlete, Martin has a similar experience with the height of her year falling in the same semester as Step Sing.
“Being on track and having to be on a constraint with a practice schedule definitely takes Step Sing out of the question for me,” Martin said.
With practices, early morning workouts and meets or games, these athletes already have their nose to the grindstone. Adding Step Sing is nearly impossible when you factor in classes and organizations these athletes are involved in on top of their sport.
However, Junior football player Deuce Caldwell is taking advantage of being a fall sport athlete and using his time in the spring season to participate in Step Sing with the Urban Essence group.
“I feel like since we’ve just been having workouts it’s easier to balance and make time for both,” Caldwell said.
While spring might technically be his off-season, Caldwell still carries a packed schedule with a large time commitment. However, he doesn’t let that stop him from participating.
“I just plan everything out the week ahead,” Caldwell said. “I plan everything on Sunday and then just try to accomplish the goals I set for myself.”
There seems to be an overall consensus from Samford athletes that Step Sing isn’t something they do, it’s just not in their nature or status quo. However, Caldwell finds it to be an excellent opportunity to step out of his comfort zone and meet new people.
“I’m interacting with people I probably would never get to talk to and I’m building new relationships,” Caldwell said.
The question remains if there is anything that can be done to open up a space for more athletes to get involved in Step Sing.
Can an athletes’ group be formed? Will there be opportunities for them to get the full Samford experience? Or will Step Sing forever be a challenge for athletes, leaving them to always be the audience, but never the performer?
Sports Editor
