Just as no team can practice without practice equipment, balls, rackets, mats, running tracks, nets, and clubs, etc., no player on the field or the players' coaches can perform with distinction in rooms with dirty blackboards, non-functioning lab equipment, no heat or air conditioning, dirty floors, inadequate or leaking plumbing, etc. These are members of the team without which no team could, in fact, function. And they are the members of the team too often overlooked. Cheerleaders At times, teams face overwhelming challenges. These challenges may be the need to carry out a key play successfully, succeed at winning a series of games, complete an entire season successfully, or achieve success in post - season tournaments.
Cheerleaders provide vocalized support for the team.
Cheerleaders provide encouragement. In Colleges and Universities, alumni play a similar role. Alumni can be utilized to cheer the institution on, to lead support for the institution, to vocalize support for the school. Fans are the people who, although perhaps having no other association with team, are nonetheless strong supporters of the team. The community around an institution and an institution's donors are fans of the school.