Twenty years from now it could be said that both Dr. Janae Joyner and Orielle Hope will go down as the fire starters and visionaries to an age of Salem College Athletics that resulted in exponential growth of not only the Spirits fanbase, but the "spirit" in Salem itself. 

After all, it was Joyner and Hope that will be distinguished as the first individuals to serve as the head coaches for the Salem College cheerleading program, which made its appearance in the Spring 2024 semester. 

The Salem cheerleading team made their first appearances at both tennis matches and softball games in the spring before taking part in volleyball and soccer matches this fall. The team has also been prominent at Spirits' basketball contests as well, looking to light up the fans with their emphatic cheering. 

Any coach will tell you there is something to be said about a home field or home court advantage. Fans who are screaming their lungs out, using their noise makers, waving their hands or stomping their feet during a critical point of a contest can definitely make a difference in winning a losing. They also present an X-factor of a "can't miss" game, feeling that their presence at the contest will make all the difference in winning and losing. This effect, when compounded over time and passed down from generation-to-generation or season to season, helping establish sustained success for years. 

Anyone that might doubt that factor can look at the impact that a fanbase can make on their team. Take the current NFL champion Kansas City Chiefs for example. At Arrowhead Stadium the Chiefs are 43-11 with Patrick Mahomes as the quarterback of the team. Furthermore, look at the all-time winningest team at home in NFL history—the Green Bay Packers. The "Packer Backers" have managed to sell out every home game at Lambeau Field since 1960, resulting in 471 all-time wins for their beloved Packers. The same could be said for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who wave their "Terrible Towels", with a tradition that dates to 1975. 

One doesn't have to look far to see the impact that a fanbase can have on its college landscape. The Duke men's basketball team posted a 572-76 all-time record at Cameron Indoor Stadium under Hall of Fame head coach Mike Krzyzewski. Krzyzewski capitalized on the obnoxious, loud, outlandish antics of the "Cameron Crazies" throughout the course of his career. At one point he led his Blue Devils to 150 consecutive non-conference wins and boasted a 46-game home winning streak, which established an Atlantic Coast Conference record. 

HOW SALEM IS BUILDING THIS HOME-COURT ADVANTAGE
One team and coach in particular has taken advantage of the home-court advantage established by its fans and the Salem cheerleading program. Salem volleyball head coach Barry Rymer and his team has won 20 straight volleyball matches at Varsity Gym over the course of the last two seasons. Rymer used the crowd to his advantage, winning 11 matches in 2024 in three sets. 

"The size of Varsity Gym—when you take into account the size of our team and our cheerleaders getting the crowd motivated to be engaged and loud—has made a huge difference in our success at home," said Rymer. "The players really appreciate the support from the faculty, the cheerleaders and President Dr. Summer McGee and her husband at the matches. It means a lot to receive that kind of support." 

There are those that might even suggest that we are just human subjects in a bigger study by Joyner. After all, Joyner's specialty as a student that might have been able to help her have the opposite effect on opposing coaches and fans that enter the gates of Salem College. She focused on regulating blood pressure during pregnancy and pre-eclampsia, but her work as a cheerleading coach has not helped those who came to take on the Salem volleyball team, for example, leave with such a great feeling.

Meanwhile, Hope brought her positive attitude and her love of athletics to the team with her contributions. Orielle is always someone that provides Salem employees with a smile and a friendly greeting and has a deep-rooted love of athletics. This impact is seen on the team as it stands as those that make up the team also embody these same characteristics and positive attitudes. 

"It's been great to see an increase in attendance and energy at Salem games," said one USA South Conference coach who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "It creates a fun environment for both teams. The cheerleaders always cheer loud and proud for their team, but their presence enhances the energy in the gym for both teams as well as for the fan experience."

The impact on the cheerleading team is not lost on Salem student-athletes as well. "It was really special to have the cheerleading team with us in Varsity Gym this season," said senior volleyball senior Anna Rymer. "Their energy and enthusiasm was contagious for our players and fans. We would participate in the cheers and some of us even tried (key word, tried) to learn their cheer routines. Their presence created a whole new atmosphere for home games that I had never experienced before in my past seasons.

"All of us can confidently say that we would not have been as successful without them in the gym cheering us on," continued Anna Rymer. "The home win streak is just as much their doing as ours! The cheerleading team has been a great addition to our athletics department at Salem."

FOSTER CONTINUING TO BUILD THE CHEERLEADING PROGRAM
After introducing the first Salem College cheer team in NCAA Division III history during the 2024 spring semester, Director of Athletics Michael Williams announced the addition of C. Renee Foster as the program's head cheerleading coach on Monday, August 12th. 

"Cheerleading is there to support an athletic team, while providing energy and morale for a team to win," Foster said of her team. "When a team can hear their home crowd get loud, the cheerleaders can help provide that environment for us to win. Here at Salem, we are looking to create that kind of atmosphere and environment that we have never had before. I look at environments such as Tennessee (Rocky Top) and Ole Miss and I want to replicate that. It makes it easier for our teams to win."

A graduate of Winston-Salem State University, Foster was an active member of the WSSU Powerhouse of Red & White cheerleading program from 2009 to 2012. She began her journey as a junior varsity cheerleader on the White Team during her freshman year and advanced to the varsity squad her sophomore year, remaining on Red Team until graduation. 

Under the guidance of Dr. Joevanne Estrada, Foster and her teammates competed in the 2010 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference cheer competition and performed at the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference exhibitions in 2011 and 2012. During her varsity years, Foster also served as the Cheer Secretary, managing practice and game logistics for the team. She was awarded the title of Most Spirited Cheerleader for the 2011-2012 season.

"I have been part of cheer teams and seen it first-hand, we saw the direct impact with volleyball this season," added Foster. "Our focus has turned from getting our teams and the Salem Department of Athletics to buy in to getting our student body more involved in order to create a better environment and atmosphere. I want to focus on staple chants so that we can let that grow over the years."

Following her graduation from Winston-Salem State, Foster returned to her alma mater to coach the White Team for the 2012-13 season, enhancing its presence at volleyball and women's basketball games and other athletic events.

Foster brings extensive cheerleading experience to the Spirits, having volunteered as an Operations Assistant at UFIT for the past 12 years. In this role, she assists with event coordination and registration for UFIT's summer cheer camps and competitions. Additionally, she volunteers as a Cheer Liaison for the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl's Kickoff and Bowl games.

"One of our jobs is to make it much easier for our teams to win because we're creating an environment," continued Foster. "I have experience in that, and I've been a part of a team where I've seen where us getting the crowd hyped up does create an energy that passes along to the team. Then they win a game I realize I've been a part of that firsthand. I think we saw a little bit of that during volleyball season.

"I want my teams to become more athletic and to become athletically competitive is also a goal of mine," Foster said. "Cheerleading has evolved so much athletically like it's not just you know women in skirts or men you know in shells with megaphone just yelling and shaking pom-poms and there's a level of dance and technique like dance technique has been embedded into cheerleading now." 

Twenty years from now it could be said that both Dr. Janae Joyner and Orielle Hope will go down as the fire starters and visionaries to an age of Salem College Athletics that resulted in exponential growth of not only the Spirits fanbase, but the "spirit" in Salem itself. 

After all, it was Joyner and Hope that will be distinguished as the first individuals to serve as the head coaches for the Salem College Cheerleading program, which made its appearance in the Spring 2024 semester. 

The Salem Cheerleading team made their first appearances at both tennis matches and softball games in the spring before taking part in volleyball and soccer matches this fall. The team has also been prominent at Spirits' basketball contests as well, looking to light up the fans with their emphatic cheering. 

Any coach will tell you there is something to be said about a home field or home court advantage. Fans who are screaming their lungs out, using their noise makers, waving their hands or stomping their feet during a critical point of a contest can definitely make a difference in winning a losing. They also present an X-factor of a "can't miss" game, feeling that their presence at the contest will make all the difference in winning and losing. This effect, when compounded over time and passed down from generation-to-generation or season to season, helping establish sustained success for years. 

Anyone that might doubt that factor can look at the impact that a fanbase can make on their team. Take the current NFL champion Kansas City Chiefs for example. At Arrowhead Stadium the Chiefs are 43-11 with Patrick Mahomes as the quarterback of the team. Furthermore, look at the all-time winningest team at home in NFL history—the Green Bay Packers. The "Packer Backers" have managed to sell out every home game at Lambeau Field since 1960, resulting in 471 all-time wins for their beloved Packers. The same could be said for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who wave their "Terrible Towels", with a tradition that dates to 1975. 

One doesn't have to look far to see the impact that a fanbase can have on its college landscape. The Duke men's basketball team posted a 572-76 all-time record at Cameron Indoor Stadium under Hall of Fame head coach Mike Krzyzewski. Krzyzewski capitalized on the obnoxious, loud, outlandish antics of the "Cameron Crazies" throughout the course of his career. At one point he led his Blue Devils to 150 consecutive non-conference wins and boasted a 46-game home winning streak, which established an Atlantic Coast Conference record. 

HOW SALEM IS BUILDING THIS HOME-COURT ADVANTAGE
One team and coach in particular has taken advantage of the home-court advantage established by its fans and the Salem Cheerleading program. Salem volleyball head coach Barry Rymer and his team has won 20 straight volleyball matches at Varsity Gym over the course of the last two seasons. Rymer used the crowd to his advantage, winning 11 matches in 2024 in three sets. 

"The size of Varsity Gym—when you take into account the size of our team and our cheerleaders getting the crowd motivated to be engaged and loud—has made a huge difference in our success at home," said Rymer. "The players really appreciate the support from the faculty, the cheerleaders and President Dr. Summer McGee and her husband at the matches. It means a lot to receive that kind of support." 

There are those that might even suggest that we are just human subjects in a bigger study by Joyner. After all, Joyner's specialty as a student that might have been able to help her have the opposite effect on opposing coaches and fans that enter the gates of Salem College. She focused on regulating blood pressure during pregnancy and pre-eclampsia, but her work as a Cheerleading coach has not helped those who came to take on the Salem volleyball team, for example, leave with such a great feeling.

Meanwhile, Hope brought her positive attitude and her love of athletics to the team with her contributions. Orielle is always someone that provides Salem employees with a smile and a friendly greeting and has a deep-rooted love of athletics. This impact is seen on the team as it stands as those that make up the team also embody these same characteristics and positive attitudes. 

"It's been great to see an increase in attendance and energy at Salem games," said one USA South Conference coach who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "It creates a fun environment for both teams. The cheerleaders always cheer loud and proud for their team, but their presence enhances the energy in the gym for both teams as well as for the fan experience."

The impact on the cheerleading team is not lost on Salem student-athletes as well. "It was really special to have the Cheerleading team with us in Varsity Gym this season," said senior volleyball senior Anna Rymer. "Their energy and enthusiasm was contagious for our players and fans. We would participate in the cheers and some of us even tried (key word, tried) to learn their cheer routines. Their presence created a whole new atmosphere for home games that I had never experienced before in my past seasons.

"All of us can confidently say that we would not have been as successful without them in the gym cheering us on," continued Anna Rymer. "The home win streak is just as much their doing as ours! The Cheerleading team has been a great addition to our athletics department at Salem."

FOSTER CONTINUING TO BUILD THE CHEERLEADING PROGRAM
After introducing the first Salem College cheer team in NCAA Division III history during the 2024 spring semester, Director of Athletics Michael Williams announced the addition of C. Renee Foster as the program's head cheerleading coach on Monday, August 12th. 

"Cheerleading is there to support an athletic team, while providing energy and morale for a team to win," Foster said of her team. "When a team can hear their home crowd get loud, the cheerleaders can help provide that environment for us to win. Here at Salem, we are looking to create that kind of atmosphere and environment that we have never had before. I look at environments such as Tennessee (Rocky Top) and Ole Miss and I want to replicate that. It makes it easier for our teams to win."

 

A graduate of Winston-Salem State University, Foster was an active member of the WSSU Powerhouse of Red & White Cheerleading program from 2009 to 2012. She began her journey as a junior varsity cheerleader on the White Team during her freshman year and advanced to the varsity squad her sophomore year, remaining on Red Team until graduation. 

Under the guidance of Dr. Joevanne Estrada, Foster and her teammates competed in the 2010 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference cheer competition and performed at the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference exhibitions in 2011 and 2012. During her varsity years, Foster also served as the Cheer Secretary, managing practice and game logistics for the team. She was awarded the title of Most Spirited Cheerleader for the 2011-2012 season.

"I have been part of cheer teams and seen it first-hand, we saw the direct impact with volleyball this season," added Foster. "Our focus has turned from getting our teams and the Salem Department of Athletics to buy in to getting our student body more involved in order to create a better environment and atmosphere. I want to focus on staple chants so that we can let that grow over the years."

Following her graduation from Winston-Salem State, Foster returned to her alma mater to coach the White Team for the 2012-13 season, enhancing its presence at volleyball and women's basketball games and other athletic events.

Foster brings extensive cheerleading experience to the Spirits, having volunteered as an Operations Assistant at UFIT for the past 12 years. In this role, she assists with event coordination and registration for UFIT's summer cheer camps and competitions. Additionally, she volunteers as a Cheer Liaison for the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl's Kickoff and Bowl games.

"One of our jobs is to make it much easier for our teams to win because we're creating an environment," continued Foster. "I have experience in that, and I've been a part of a team where I've seen where us getting the crowd hyped up does create an energy that passes along to the team. Then they win a game I realize I've been a part of that firsthand. I think we saw a little bit of that during volleyball season.

"I want my teams to become more athletic and to become athletically competitive is also a goal of mine," Foster said. "Cheerleading has evolved so much athletically like it's not just you know women in skirts or men you know in shells with megaphone just yelling and shaking pom-poms and there's a level of dance and technique like dance technique has been embedded into cheerleading now."