GREENVILLE, Pa.—The Thiel College cheer and dance team will host their second annual Lil’ Scratchers Youth Cheer Camp at Alumni Stadium and Maenpa Court on July 12 and 13.
Led by Thiel’s cheer and dance team head coach Randall Burnett M.A. ’22, the summer camp is for boys and girls ages 4-12. The cost is $75, and participants will get a T-shirt and a bow. The theme for this year’s camp will coincide with the Homecoming theme of “Tommy Pawlooza,” as campers will dress in their best 70s athletic wear on Day 1 and their Lil’ Scratchers T-shirt and bow on Day 2. All participants will be invited back to perform with the Tomcats during the first quarter of Thiel’s home opening football game against Case Western Reserve University on Sept. 2. The Lil’ Scratchers will also march in the Sept. 30 Homecoming parade.
“Our goal for Lil’ Scratchers is to help build the fundamentals and skills that these young athletes will need to be successful in their own programs, while also having fun and creating memories,” Burnett said. “This program was created to give back to the youth in our area, while creating opportunities for our Thiel athletes to be ambassadors to the larger Greenville community. I am so ecstatic to see how big the Lil’ Scratcher Program has become and the number of returners who are excited to be a part of our program each year.”
Athletes who attend the camp will learn cheerleading basics from the Tomcat cheerleaders, including motions, jumps, stunts, pyramids, and tumbling.
Burnett guided the Tomcats cheer team to a first-place finish at the National Cheerleaders Association College Nationals in Daytona, Fla. in April, after finishing in second-place the year before. Since Burnett’s hire in 2018, participation on the cheer team has been steadily increasing, with the roster growing from 14 to over 30. Burnett earned a Master of Arts in Communication and Leadership from Thiel College in 2022 and a bachelor’s degree in communication from Clarion University in 2012.
About Thiel College
Thiel College is an independent college founded in the Lutheran tradition. Located in Greenville, Pa., the College offers 60 majors and minors, 24 varsity sports, and an 11:1 student-faculty ratio. The College is also home to a new Master of Science in speech-language pathology and 2Master of Business Administration. Both master’s degree programs offer innovative and accelerated five-year paths which allow students to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years. The speech-language pathology program also has an accelerated 15-month graduate-level program. The M.B.A. program also has a 12-month post-graduate program.A dedicated faculty paired with dynamic research and internship opportunities produce numerous graduate school and job placements. Coeducational from its beginnings, the College remains committed to combining tradition with innovation as it celebrates 150 years.