Many parents choose to enroll their children in different sports and activities to assist in their development. It was no different for cheer mom SaRaya Woolridge and her 7-year-old daughter, Ryan Brunson. Ryan began cheering with the all-star team, the Maryland Twisters, in 2020. Since joining the team, she fell in love with the sport and participated in every competition until encountering a setback due to a hairstyle policy “violation.”
Brunson could not compete unless she changed her hair. Woolridge styled her daughter’s hair in a half-up, half-down style (pictured below). This was a style that Ryan competed in several times without issue. When she and her mother arrived at the competition, as scheduled, they had no idea it’d be their last.
Hair Policy
The cheer mom and cheerleader were met with instant hostility when they arrived at the competition.
“The first thing our coach says to us is, ‘She can’t wear her hair like that,’” Woolridge told DC News Now.
Woolridge shared that team members initially had two hairstyle options — a ponytail or a half-up half-down style. Additionally, the hair has to meet a shoulder-length requirement.
Once Woolridge and Brunson arrived at the competition, the mom shared that the coach grabbed her daughter’s hair to demonstrate the required style. Woolridge said she was confused because Brunson had competed with the half-up, half-down style before. Unfortunately, the 7-year-old was unable to compete.
After Woolridge took her daughter home that day, she decided to take action. She sent an email to team management to discuss the issue further. However, things did not go as planned.
“Ryan does have a lot of beautiful hair,” said management via the outlet. “I know in your attached photos, it seems similar to the girls in the photos. However, I did see her yesterday. She has much more hair than this photo shows. It is long in real life because it’s all one length, and the other girls have their hair cut in shorter layers. With that said, Ryan needs to have her hair in a high pony.”
Woolridge found the response to be insufficient. She felt that Brunson was discriminated against for having thick, textured hair. The conversation with the team’s management ended with Ryan being removed from the cheer team.
The email message stated, “Our values simply do not align. It’s best for both parties that you no longer continue at the Maryland Twisters program.”
Social Media Backlash
Woolridge became frustrated with this situation and decided to post the story on a now-private X thread. Black cheerleaders and cheer moms nationwide began reaching out, stating similar experiences with hairstyle policies.
Due to the backlash, the Maryland Twisters management team released a statement.
“We are saddened by the allegations of racial bias and embrace our athletes of all races, creeds, genders, and experiences,” said team management via X. “All-star cheerleading and Maryland Twisters have provided an inclusive refuge for athletes and coaches alike for 26 years. We are proud of the diversity we draw to our cheerleading family and continue to provide options for our athletes that support inclusion — including genderless uniform choices and hair policies that support all races. We are open to course correction, and continued inclusion is paramount.“
Tara Rall, president of the Maryland Twisters, also sent an email to the athletes and their families. The email was shared by the X account, Cheer Confessions.
Many believe the damage can’t be undone, including the cheer mom. Although Brunson can no longer cheer with the Twisters, Woolridge remains hopeful that a lesson can be learned.
“I think that the cheerleader organization should look at it as a whole about how they’re making children feel about their hair, their makeup, their weight, everything like appearance-wise; these kids just want to cheer,” Brunson told DC News Now.
Cheerleader Discrimination
Woolridge and Ryan are not the first Black family to face discrimination in cheerleading. Unfortunately, the children are the ones who suffer the consequences most. Woolridge told The Shade Room that she intends to seek therapy for her daughter.
It’s no secret that there have been issues with discrimination in white-dominated sports — from cheerleading to wrestling. That said, there’s no telling when the unfair practice will cease. How do you feel about Ryan being removed from the team? Let’s discuss in the comment section below.
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