Ohio State’s chapters founder Taylor Schindley (right) standing with a member of her high school Sparkles team at a football game. Credit: Taylor Schindley
The Sparkle Spirit Squad, an inclusive cheerleading team composed of students with and without disabilities with a focus on providing mentorship and friendship, has made its way to Ohio State.
The idea of Sparkle Spirit was created in 2008 to promote social inclusion for those with disabilities. Today, what was once just a thought from Sarah Cronk in an Iowa high school, has spread to over 225 teams throughout high schools and universities in the U.S.
Taylor Schindley, the founder of Ohio State’s chapter, said she was inspired to start a team at Ohio State after being involved with the chapter at her high school and loving it.
“I had a Sparkles team at my high school, and it was honestly the highlight of my entire life,” Schindley said. “I got to meet with the founder of the entire organization over Zoom going into my senior year, and when I heard her say no one ever is determined enough to take it to college, I knew at a university this big, it was something that I wanted here.”
Sparkle Spirit’s main goal is to create a safe place for students with disabilities who want a chance to join a team and feel welcome and seen.
“By bringing Sparkles to Ohio State, it’s creating a more accessible environment for people,” Schindley said. “It’s a safe space for people to just come in and be themselves, not feeling like they are blockaded from whatever difference they have.”
Sparkle Spirit focuses on a buddy system. The team is divided into several pairs — one student with disabilities and one without, Schindley said.
She said each pair checks in with the other at the beginning of every practice. This way, students who struggle with social interactions have a friend on the team and the pair can learn from each other’s differences.
A member of Ohio State’s chapter and freshman health sciences major, Grace Nelson, said she was also exposed to Sparkles in high school and was positively affected by the buddy system in place.
You do not need any cheerleading experience to join — it is open to anyone who wants to be included, Schindley said.
Sparkle Spirit, unlike most sports teams, does not hold tryouts. Schindley said the team captains simply send out a form collecting interest in joining.
“There’s a questionnaire you do if you’re interested that asks why you want to join Sparkles and if you’ve ever had experience working with someone with special needs,” Schindley said.
On the questionnaire, students can select whether they self-identify with a disability, but students who are disabled never have to disclose that to leaders or other students, Schindley said.
Sparkle Spirit aims to spread positivity at events for the audience and within the team, she said.
“I am excited to see how they react when we go out to an event and see how excited they get,” Nelson said. “We all just feel like we have a purpose and have something to do.”
Ohio State’s Sparkle Spirit Squad plans to perform at club sporting events like football and basketball, Schindley said.
The team is currently in the process of recruiting members but plans to start up as soon as that is complete.
