Editor’s Note: This story is a continuation of the “Pretties” story from the October issue of the Precedent.

The Perry Pretties are not alone.

All through the CUSD football programs are groups of female students whose main purpose is to support their team – a fact that has caused controversy over the years.

This support group towards the football players has created a divide with the Perry staff and students’ perspectives in regards to the truth of this statement.

Math teacher Stephanie Carrasco has shown encouragement towards all the Pretties and the message they are representing.

“I think the group has a good goal in mind,” she said. “Their goal is to support our football players and just give them a little treat the day of the football game and at the games just support them, make signs for them and just show that we are here for them.”

Although the group’s intentions are a means of motivating the players, administration has maintained a similar stance from previous years.

“We don’t acknowledge the Perry Pretties and they are not allowed to do business on campus,” principal Dan Serrano said.

“I think it sends a message of a group that is elite and better than others. I have always held strong on that [idea],” he said. “We have set the tone years ago that that’s not something we want on this campus.”

The Pretties’ name itself has put people on edge about the group, as it makes them uneasy because of the perceived portrayal of a group of only pretty girls.

RELATED: Perry Pretties supportive to football seniors

“Their name makes it seem as though the people involved in that group are better than other people,” senior Clara Wallengren said.

“It gives a negative connotation to women in general that they have to be pretty in order to be a part of this group that supports football players, and only football players. There is more [to you] than your physical looks.”

Group leaders Matti Hrbek, Kelly Cannistra, and Peighton Gumm, have tried to divert from the selective image their title portrays, and progressed towards a more welcoming attitude for this year.

“I know in the past there have been problems with calling yourself pretty,” Cannistra said, “but I think in the past they also put a restriction on what kind of girls could be in the club.

“I feel like we have tried to make it so people understand that anyone can join more so this year. We welcome everyone and we tell them that.”

However, with the group being so closely connected to football, problems arose with the spirit teams as both the cheer and pom coaches expressing their disapproval of their girls’ partaking in activities relating to the Perry Pretties.

“I think sends a negative message, so I did tell the girls that and all the pom coaches also told their girls that,” head cheer coach Desiree Stinnett said. “Pretty much we said, ‘we can’t necessarily stop you from wanting to do the activities, but if anything comes on school campus, like if they ever wear the shirts or if they ever advertise it on campus, then there will be consequences for that.’”

Stinnett said that she believes the group creates an image of exclusion, even though the Pretties maintain that they are a group predicated on created school spirit.

“I think they should be supporting all teams across campus,” Wallengren said. “[It should be] both boys and girls teams whether it is tennis, volleyball or badminton or cross country.”

“While it may seem like you are supporting the community through [the] football players, really you are excluding all other sports from the recognition they deserve,” she said.

Although the Pretties hoped to separate themselves from previous year, the use of the name Perry Pretties and following the tradition of raising encouragement to only senior football players have led the group to be surrounded by controversy.

They believe that spreading the correct image of Perry Pretties will help alter those negative perspectives in the future.

One of the Pretties, Kaitlyn Yanish, said she understands why there might be some animosity, but there is a lot of positives that come from the group.

“I feel like it can send a bad message if you don’t really understand what it is,” she said, “but once you figure out that it’s just a support group for our football team, I think it sends a really good message that we all support them, want them to win and do their best.”