Rhode Island Basketball's Unsung Heroes - The Ramettes and Cheerleaders
It is interesting to see how much a crowd can get excited over a group's dance moves and cheers but it works and that is all that matters. Time and again, as a person who often praises the Rhode Island men's basketball team and their performances on the court, there are others who contribute to the win and get no recognition for it. Today, I turn that trend around.
I have sat in the middle of the student section during numerous performances by the Ramettes and I literally turned my entire body and head around to look at all of the students in the upper sections behind me that were screaming out the girls' names. Routinely, before the basketball games begin and during halftime, the Ramettes perform one of their dance routines. I don't think anyone would say that the dance routines are on the level of the Rockettes but that is not the purpose of their segments. Often times, the dances increase the attentiveness of everyone in the crowd and gets them pumped up. Shortly thereafter, in the games, the Ramettes cheer on the basketball team from an area in either student section.
The Ramettes are a URI dance team that has survived multiple generations. According to records, the group at URI first started in the 1960's and came back to light at the end of the 1990's. Nowadays, the Ramettes are beloved by Rhode Island basketball fans, ranging from the youth to the elderly.
Meanwhile, the URI cheerleaders do their part with all that they do during the basketball games, as well. Alongside the Ramettes, the cheerleaders start out the game by standing right outside the tunnel from where the Rams players come running out to an explosion of applause from the Rhode Island faithful. During the game, the cheerleaders do flips and cheers after free throws and cheer throughout the game from the sidelines, right next to each basketball hoop. At halftime, both the cheerleaders and Ramettes help J.V., URI's hype man, with throwing free t-shirts and miniature basketballs into the crowd.
The profound effect of the Ramettes and cheerleaders extends beyond the basketball court on game days if you are paying attention. At the Atlantic 10 tournament in Pittsburgh, PA, Dan Hurley's team needed the support of all of their fans for three straight days. In many eyes, the Rhode Island Rams would have to win out to make the 2017 NCAA tournament. Numerous Rhode Island fans were on hand for the spectacle, including the likes of Bob Hurley, Dan Hurley's dad and infamous high school basketball coach, in addition to Hassan Martin's mother, and Hurley's other family members. If you watched any of three games that the Rams partook in, the television cameras had a special eye on some other members in the crowd. The group of people that I am referring to is the group of URI Ramettes that consisted of Hannah Ritchie, Rachel Silva, Cassie Clifford, and Sam Angell. I will list the visual evidence right here.
Following Rhode Island MBB's monumental championship victory in PPG Paint Arena, it was on to the NCAA tournament, the one tournament that matters in March. Even though I had no doubt in mind that any team that played six-seeded Creighton in the first round would win, the Rhode Island Rams had the support of the Ramettes and cheerleaders again. If you looked into the Rhode Island crowd, all of America saw the same set of Ramettes in the stands in Sacramento, California, near notable icons like Lamar Odom and Bobby Hurley. All the while, the entire group of URI cheerleaders were getting the job done again, cheering on the men's basketball team in the areas to the side of the basketball hoops.
The passion that URI's Ramettes and cheerleaders display on the court keeps the Ryan Center in the game, no matter what the circumstance is. Today just happened to be the day that both groups finally get credit for what they do.
