Miscalculation puts damper on BSSD Annual Wrestling and Cheerleading tournament outcome for cheerleaders
By Anna Lionas
A counting error during last week’s Bering Strait School District Wrestling and Cheerleading Competition left Gambell Cheerleaders in tears when their first-place trophy was rescinded the day after it was awarded.
On Saturday night, the Gambell cheer team stood in front of a gym filled with students and parents from the region, proudly holding their first-place trophy for cheer and dance in the large school division. The following day they were told that due to a human error by Athletics Director for BSSD Steven Perry, first place was earned by Unalakleet cheer team, Perry said.
Three judges scored the routines based on categories with up to 10 points available, Perry tallied all the points and based on his calculation found the Gambell team won. Perry told the Nugget that after the awards were announced a judge came to him and said the announcement didn’t match their score sheets.
Once the points were tallied again, Perry realized his error. In a meeting early the next day with the Gambell and Unalakleet cheer coaches he explained the error, the places were switched, and Unalakleet was crowned winner.
“It’s a huge mistake. I take full responsibility for that mistake,” Perry said.
The circumstances of the switch left community members of Gambell upset. “It was pretty insulting,” Charla Koozata of Gambell told the Nugget.
Right before the Gambell cheerleaders flew home from the tournament, athletes were notified they didn’t win. When they arrived back on the island a crowd of community members was waiting to welcome the champions, only to be met with a plane of crying girls.
“It was so heartbreaking to see all of them walking out of the plane crying,” parent of Gambell Cheerleader Pauline Apassingok told the Nugget.
Perry said he wrote apology letters to the Gambell cheer team and school, explaining his mistake.
The district also apologized in an official statement for the human error.
“We teach our students that when mistakes are made, to learn and grow from them. That is what the District intends to do,” BSSD’s statement said.
Tournament
The controversy came at the end of a weekend that typically inspires joy and community across the Bering Strait region. This year the 42nd Annual Bering Strait School District Elementary and Junior High Wrestling and Cheerleading competition was held October 24 to 26 in Unalakleet.
Teams from 14 BSSD schools traveled with a total of 151 wrestlers and 105 cheerleaders to participate in the tournament.
Wrestling matches began Thursday morning with elementary wrestlers. Junior High got in on the action that night, with cheer teams performing partner stunt routines throughout.
Friday, elimination rounds began for wrestling and as brackets grow smaller, the All-American dance routines hit the floor.
Friday night was the semi-final wrestling matches and small school cheer and dance routines.
“Saturday is all about surviving and earning your spot on the podium,” Perry wrote. By the afternoon the championship matches are set. Pizza dinner was served, courtesy of Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation, and teams fuel up for the final rounds.
For the weekend’s grand finale teams line up in their school colors, lining the hallways as they enter the gym one by one.
“The energy can be felt throughout the school and gym as teams show their own school spirit and pride,” Perry wrote.
Championship wrestlers get star treatment and are introduced one by one with a light show before their matches. To close it all out, an awards ceremony was held, with Callie Parks of Gambell winning outstanding elementary wrestler and Isaac Prentice of Koyuk earning Outstanding Junior High wrestler.
White Mountain School earned the overall Sportsmanship award.
For small schools Shaktoolik won the cheer and dance category and Unalakleet won for large schools.
This year the tournament went late into the night, with teams finally tucking away to classrooms just before midnight.
This story was updated from the print edition to reflect a clarification on the timing of the meeting with the cheerleading coaches.