The News Argus October 1995 - Page 6
— FEATURES —
Rivers Enjoys Coaching Cheerleaders
BY DEVONA MCPHATTER
News Editor
It’s 6:45 a.m., in the middle of the
August heat. Fifteen young men and
women stumble down to the practice field
at Winston Salem State University to
endure in a one mile run and a strenuous
exercise practice before breakfast.
Everyone is dragging their feet and not too
many words are said between them,
except for the happy few that have never
done it before. ( However it will not be
long before they to will be as quiet as
mice.) In the background, a very insistent
voice calls out, “ Let’s go! Let’s hit that
mile.” In the back of everyone’s mind the
words, “You must really love this or you
sure are crazy,” flash through a few limes.
“Oh, it’s not that bad says the voice.
“Just think when you put those uniforms
on, you will be so proud of yourselves and
so will I.”
This voice that called out to those 15
young men and women belongs to the
WSSU’s cheerleading coach, Debra L.
Rivers, a 1976 Business Administration
graduate. She is now a process manager
at Brown and Williamson Tobacco
Company.
“1 love it. I have been the
cheerleading coach for the past 13 years
and I love it,” said Rivers. “The
cheerleaders had to go through long hours
at practice over the summer. They
attended four practice sessions a day, two
of which I attended. Now, they practice at
least two hours and half each day.”
Rivers decided to attend WSSU after
a visiting her sister. “ My sister attended
WSSU and when I came to visit I knew
this was a place where I could discover
my abilities,” said Rivers. “I was involved'
in cheerleading and became a member of
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., I pledged at
WSSU,” said Rivers.
After graduating from WSSU, she
decided to become the cheerleading
coach. She felt it was the perfect way to
give back to WSSU.
“I wish there were more alumna like
Ms. Rivers, that would remember their
roots and give back to the school they
attended,” said Heather Zimmerman, a
junior education major, from Raleigh.
Rivers’ standards are set high and
they must follow them or suffer the
consequences. She feels cheerleading is
similar to a job because, “you have to be
on lime for practice and games and must
follow the guide lines that have been set.”
“She’s well orientated, dedicated and
professional. She’s stern and her rules
sometimes makes you feel like giving up
but in the long run everything she does is
only to make us better people,” said Tina
Brumfield, a senior nursing major from
Fayetteville. “ Ms. Rivers is one person
that I will always cherish. No matter how
bad things are she is always there for her
squad,” said Brumfield.
Rivers and her past squads, have
worked hard to achieve the reputation that
follows WSSU cheerleaders everywhere
they go. When selecting her squads she
looks for the best. “ Basically I look for
people that will represent WSSU well and
will uphold the tradition that past squads
have worked so diligently to attain,” said
Rivers. If a person knows how to cheer,
will follow the standards and has a good
attitude then he or she has a good chance
at becoming a WSSU cheerleader.
“She’s great! Since Ms. Rivers has
been the coach at WSSU, she expects
nothing but the best squad to represent her
and the school. That in itself says a lot
about the kind of woman she is,” said one
of the squad’s captains Terrica Miller, a
senior nursing major from Charlotte.
"She’s a woman that is well respected by
those that know her. Ms. Rivers is a
strong, black woman and a positive role
model to any young black sister.”
What has kepi Rivers coaching for 13
WSSU cheerleaders years?
“I stayed because I love cheerleading
and I have met some wonderful students.
When they graduate and return for
Homecoming or call to inform me of their
successes it is all a great big reward. It just
let’s me know that I am doing something
worthwhile,” said Rivers.
Rivers feels that being a coach not
only has the job of being stern and
establishings rules but it also means being
a listening ear for her squad.
“She’s a great coach, even though we
are younger, she treats us as her equal.
That makes us feel comfortable with her.
She takes a lot of time out her schedule
just for us. Ms.Rivers is certainly like a
second mom to me,” said sophomore
Sekina Arnold, a nursing major from
Raleigh.
Rivers received the feeling of family
from WSSU and in turn she feels that
same feeling on her squad is beneficial.
“Once you achieve that step of becoming
one in that specific setting then its much
easier to get things done,” said Rivers.
"I always want the best for my
students and encourage them in any way
that I can. I always tell them to set their
goals higher than what they think they can
reach. Then when they reach that
panicular goal, they will know that there
is nothing that they can’t achieve,” said
Rivers
Cooking With Rico!!
Hey All of you Ram Cooks!
Welcome Back To Cooking With Rico!!
Here’s the second installment of those
mouth-watering, “make-you-want-to
smack somebody” recipes.
Chicken-Macaroni
Casserole
1 1/2 cup of uncooked elbow
macaroni
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cup of diced cooked chicken
1 can of mushroom stems and pieces
1/4 cup of chopped pimientos
1 can of condensed cream of chicken
soup
1 cup of milk
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Stir
together all ingredients; pour into
ungreased 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.
Cover; bake for 1 hour.
Chicken Casserole
Deluxe
1 package of Noodles Romanoff
(5.5 ounces)
1 can of condensed cream of
mushroom soup (10.5 ounces)
2 cups of cut-up cooked chicken
1 package of frozen chopped
broccoli, thawed and drained
1/2 cup of rif)e olives, cut into
wedges
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare
Noodles Romanoff as directed on package
except use 3/4 cup of milk. Stir in soup.
chicken, broccoli and olives. Pour into an
ungreased, 2 quart casserole dish. Cover;
bake 25 to 30 minutes or until broccoli is
tender.
Three-Bean Casserole
1 package of frozen lima beans
(10 ounce)
3 cans of baked beans(6 cups)
3 cans of kidney beans, drained
(5 cups)
1 pound of Italian link or pork link
sausages
1/2 pound cooked ham, cut into
cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can of tomato sauce(8 ounce)
1/2 cup of ketchup
1/4 cup of brown sugar(packed)
1 tablespoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
1/2 teaspoon of dry mustard
Heat oven at 400 degrees. Cook lima
beans as directed on package; drain. Put
into 4 1/2 quart casserole dish. Add
baked beans and kidney beans in a
covered skillet. Simmer sausage in a
small amount of water for 5 minutes.
Drain the liquid from the skillet and fry
the sausages until brown on all sides. Cut
each sausage into 2 or 3 pieces. Add
sausage pieces and ham to the beans. Stir
together the remaining ingredients; pour
over beans and gently mix. Bake
uncovered for 1 hour.
If you have recipes that you would
like to share with our readers please
submit them to this column. Please
print or type them (be sure to include
your name), then drop them off at the
News Argus Office, 318 Hall-Patterson
Bldg.