Male cheerleaders are strong, athletic
By Jessica Mae, Behind the Scenes Staff Writer
October 16, 2007 | 3 p.m.
Gay. Pussy. Wimp. All are words that some people use in a derogatory way to describe male cheerleaders, yet the Bobcat cheerleaders know the opposite is true.
It is a long-held stereotype that cheerleaders are only female, and people may tend to think male cheerleaders must be either gay or a pervert who likes to touch girls' butts all day. In reality, male cheerleaders are athletic and confident -- and most are heterosexual.
Get to know your Bobcat cheerleaders
Senior Ashley Huber has been cheering since she was 8 years old, but never encountered male cheerleaders until college.
"I always knew they were around, and it didn't faze me that they were male, but how athletic they were," she said.
Huber defends her male cheerleaders, describing them as "brothers" and hard workers.
"All of us work just as hard as the athletic teams here," Huber said. "Everyone lifts and runs and trains."
Huber commented that, despite the stereotype of male cheerleaders, many incoming Bobcats respond well to the guys.
"Male fans, especially incoming freshmen, respond well and usually want to participate or try out for the squad," Huber said.
Sports management major Anthony Diglia didn't start cheering until his freshman year at Ohio University when he saw the cheerleaders performing at the student fair and decided he wanted to learn how to tumble.
Diglia, who is also a part of the Air Force ROTC, noticed that, because of cheering, his flexibility, coordination and upper body strength have improved. Known as a jock in high school, Diglia has noticed varying reactions from people once they find out he cheers.
"A few people's first impression of me is that I'm gay," said Diglia. "But my friends know that this is definitely not true."
Diglia believes the stereotype exists because, at most levels of cheerleading, there are no males until college.
"It's a huge misconception that cheerleading is an all-girl sport," Diglia said.
Senior Luce Williams didn't know what he was getting into when he accidentally showed up at the Bobcats' cheerleading practice last year.
"I got tricked," Williams said.
Williams, however, is no stranger to cheerleading. His mom was a cheerleader, and his sister currently cheers at Wright State University. Although he comes from a family with a strong background in cheering, Williams had no desire to cheer until one fateful practice.
"I liked to flip, and my friends told me to come to this place where I could flip on mats, but I show up, and it's a cheerleading practice," Williams said. "All I wanted to do is play."
Williams describes himself as "naturally happy and competitive," and once he joined the squad, he realized it was the right place for him.
"No matter how bad we're getting beat, I always keep smiling and make my flips even better," Williams said.
Williams commented that more guys would join cheerleading if they realized how competitive the sport is. The squad spends more than 20 hours a week on training and practicing, and that isn't including game days. The squad also has a long-term goal in mind of competing well at a national competition.
"Guys don't see cheerleading as competitive, but even though our flips look cool, we aren't just doing it for the fans,” Williams said. “We are constantly perfecting our technique for nationals."
Williams also described how he's personally grown from cheerleading.
"I've learned how to just have female friends and be a better guy,” Williams said. “I can't be an asshole around a bunch of cheerleaders."
The history of cheerleading
Despite being a frequently stigmatized activity for males these days, cheerleading actually began as a male-driven activity in 1898 at college campuses because guys could yell the loudest at football games to rally the fans.
Women didn't dominate until World War II, when men went off to fight and women stayed, eventually outnumbering the men.
Some famous male cheerleaders include President George W. Bush, Samuel L. Jackson, Steve Martin and Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Male cheerleaders are not only needed to hoist girls up in the air, but also to give the crowd a spectacular sight of tumbles and flips through a unique combination of strength, technique and flexibility.
---