Grad signs with Ducks cheer squad

A lifetime of dancing and a Presidential Scholarship offer from the University of Oregon led Sidney Linn to decide to try out for the Ducks cheer team, and on May 9 she signed a letter of intent formalizing her as a member of the 2023-24 squad along with three other incoming freshmen who made the team.

Leading up to the final selection, Linn attended some clinics in Eugene and then did an initial audition, which landed her in the actual tryouts that included a total of 32 hopefuls.

The cheer team includes a stunt group as well as a dance group. Linn's focus will be on the dance squad.

No scholarship money is attached to her signing on, but her Presidential Scholarship, renewable for four years, covers most of her financial need.

As a team member, Linn is considered an ambassador for the University.

"I am considered to be one of the faces of the University," she explained.

According to the squad's website, the team keeps quite busy. The site says, "The Oregon Cheerleaders support University of Oregon athletic programs and entertain crowds at Autzen Stadium and Matthew Knight Arena. They appear in action at football, volleyball, and men's and women's basketball events. In addition to entertaining crowds at Oregon athletic events, the cheerleading squad also supports the University at many events across the state of Oregon. The team travels to all away football games, including the last 24 bowl games, and two national championship football games. They represent Oregon at the PAC-12 Conference basketball tournaments in Las Vegas and at all post-season NCAA basketball tournaments including the Final Four. The Cheerleaders do appearances around the community alongside the Duck mascot as a means to help fund their program.

A lifelong Duck fan, Linn has attended football games at Autzen Stadium since her childhood, but she had applied to colleges primarily in California, with U of O as her only Oregon school. After being admitted, she took a tour of campus and encountered the cheer team in what was called the Rally Alley and became intrigued.

"I actually stopped and took some pictures with some of the team, which is when I really began to think about trying out," she said.

Linn's attitude going into the tryouts was "Why not?" making her selection very exciting.

"I really couldn't quite believe it and felt like I was in a dream for a while," she said.

She will join her brother Conner, who is two years ahead of her, in Eugene. She knows other members of the team who she met through previous dance studios and competitions.

Linn will report to a three-week training in August, but will start learning all the routines via video over the summer. The first football game of the season is September 2 and the team has to be ready, according to Linn.

"Now that it is official I am looking forward to everything that is to come," she said, "including the sense of sisterhood the team has."