More Proof that Cheerleading is for Boys, Too!

In the Sioux City Journal, journalist Earl Horlyk wrote a great article all cheerleaders should read. His article looks at males in cheerleading – specifically David Chapman, a North High Stars JV cheerleader who loves his sport. Read the article below or check out the original published piece here. SIOUX CITY | David Chapman doesn’t mind sticking out whenever he attends North High Stars JV basketball games. First, the ninth grader is 6 feet, 3 inches tall. And secondly, he’s the only male cheerleader on the school’s eight-member squad. “People wonder why I’m on the sidelines and not on the court,” Chapman said with a shrug. “All I know is that I love cheering the team on.” Chapman joined the team in December and is only one of two male high school cheerleaders in the Sioux City Community School District this year. Geo Guerrero, a 6-foot-tall West High School 12th grader, became a varsity football and JV basketball cheerleader for the Wolverines in 2012. Even though he was on his school’s cross country and track teams, Guerrero said he had never been interested in team sports. “I was always the guy who was too busy with schoolwork to get involved in team sports,” said Guerrero, a National Honor Society member and student council vice-president. That all changed right before his junior year, he said. “I was pretty shy and wanted to step out of my comfort zone in a big way,” Guerrero said. “Becoming a cheerleader was just the ticket.” As a cheerleader, he participates in routines and stokes the enthusiasm of the crowd. Like Guerrero, Chapman had never previously participated in team sports. “I have the height of a basketball player but I’ve never really played the game,” he said. But the day before tryouts, Chapman said his female friends — including cheerleader Isabel Hamburger — offered encouragement. “They gave me a crash course on what a cheerleader is expected to do,” he said. Hamburger, a fellow North ninth grader, said she thought Chapman was a “natural” even though he could be a bit clumsy. “David was new to all of this,” Hamburger said, “so he wasn’t as flexible as the girls.” Regardless, Hamburger loved having Chapman as a cheer teammate. “It’s nice having a boy around since with an all-girl team, there’s just too much drama,” she said. Chapman said his parents were surprised by his sudden desire to become active in a sport that is normally associated with girls. “My family came around after they realized this was something I wanted to do,” he said. “In fact, they’ve come to every one of my games.” Guerrero said his family hasn’t been quite as supportive. “I think my family still has a problem with having a son on the cheerleading team,” he said, “but I’m proud of my school.” Guerrero said male cheerleaders often face certain social stigmas. “You get the ‘gay’ label pretty quickly,” he said. “Nobody will say it to your face but you’ll hear it behind your back.” Guerrero said male cheerleaders must learn to acquire a thick skin and consider themselves as role models. “When I started cheering, West already had one male cheerleader (Victor Diaz),” Guerrero said. “After Victor graduated last year, I became the only male cheerleader but I’d like to see someone new step up and give it a try.” Still, there are some cheers in which he and Chapman won’t participate. “There are some routines that include a small amount of booty shaking,” Chapman said. “In those routines, I just clap instead.” Interested in choir, obsessed with FX’s “American Horror Story” and wanting to start an alternative music band with friends, Chapman said being a cheerleader has made him more outgoing. “I was pretty quiet before,” he said. “In fact, my coach will tell me not to shout into my megaphone so much because my deep voice will drown out the girls.” Nearing the end of his high school cheerleading career, Guerrero will be attending college in the fall and maybe medical school in the future. “When I’m at a store, little kids will come up to me and ask if I’m Geo the cheerleader,” he said with a smile. “That’s pretty cool.” Even though he’s new to the sport, Chapman said he’d like to be a cheerleader through his high school years. “It would be nice to see more guys try out for the team,” he said. “I’d love to see male cheerleading be as common as it is for girls.” News Source: Sioux City Journal