Metro Youth Sports Cheer
By Tabitha Ervin
FWIS Editorial Director
Metro Youth Sports has been around for several years, over 40 to be exact. Each team eventually added cheerleaders as a part of the structure to support and develop youth in the program. Amber Tinsley, the current Cheer Commissioner and I were able to catch up and discuss her two years as cheer commissioner but also how she got to that role, what she’s been doing and her plans for the future.
Photo Credit: Andre Hollis Photography
Ervin: Thanks for taking time to chat today Amber! Tell me a little about your journey to becoming the Cheer Commissioner.
Tinsley: I have been involved with Metro since 2009. My kids played football and cheered. I started helping with the Pee Wee Raiders and continued to help even when my kids graduated out of the program. I became the Raiders head coach and had my daughter helping me. Then two years ago they asked me to take the position as Cheer Commissioner.
Ervin: So what exactly do you do in this position?
Tinsley: My goal is to teach Unity through cheer and shine a positive light on Metro Youth Sports as we work on character development with the youth. For the last two seasons we’ve done so many things to bring all of the girls from each team together. We took over the field the past two summers and had speakers, vendors, various community sponsors and a DJ. We had Miss Black Indiana speak last year and Michelle Chambers this year. I want to encourage the girls to just be good humans. Everyone who participated was female and that was great for the girls to see!
Photo Credit: Yvette King Merritt
Ervin: I see so many posts and pictures online. Tell me about all the events you have going on?
Tinsley: We have been able to walk in the Juneteenth parade and in the past, the 3 Rivers Parade. We did Christmas in July this year and in June we honored cancer survivors month by wearing all purple and performing during half time of a game. We also just had a banquet for the cheerleaders and it was a sneaker ball. Toni Irby was our guest speaker and everyone really enjoyed her. Lastly, we performed at the Metro Super Bowl and had a cheer competition (North vs. South). All eight teams were able to participate.
Ervin: This is awesome and congrats on all of your accomplishments. How can girls participate and what are you looking forward to in the future?
Tinsley: Well two years ago we had about 270 girls and this year we had 319 so we are continuing to grow. The fees are $85 per girl and we have some sponsors that help support the football and cheerleading teams. (Almost 700 boys played football). We have moved the season to the summer so now it’s May-August before school starts.
In the future I look to add an education component and we will continue to participate in community events.
We are always looking for coaches and sponsors.
I can be reached via email at amber.mys@gmail.com.
Ervin: Thank you Amber and best of luck as you continue to serve these young ladies!
