by Katerina Kountakis, section editor

Do you know if you’re the first male cheerleaders at Consol?

I know Bailey Brock’s dad was a cheerleader when he went here. Other than that, I think I am the first one in a long time.

Why did you join cheerleading?

Bailey [Brock] and the others were joking and trying to get me on the cheer team, but then I went home and actually thought about it more than I expected. I started looking into male cheerleading and thought it was really cool. So I talked to the coaches, went to the meeting, tried out, and made the team.   

What is it like to be a male cheerleader?

It’s different. You  hear a lot of things you usually don’t hear in everyday conversation dealing with so many girls at one time. They’re definitely a handful, but a lot fun. Definitely the most feminine team I have ever been on.

Were you parents supportive of you decision to join cheerleading?

Actually they were, but I think it was a shock. My mom’s dad didn’t believe me at all. He thought I was joking. He was excited about me playing football, but I said no, I’m going to be a cheerleader.  

Has anyone in your family done dance/cheerleading before? Are you the first one to do it?

My aunt has done cheerleading before. She likes that someone else in the family is finally able to say that cheer is a sport, because she got bullied for that a lot.

How did your auditions go? Were you nervous or scared?

It was the most awkward and exhilarating thing all at the same time. It’s dead silent and you’re in front of judges. There are only two people there. It was fun, but you had to remember everything. I messed up in some parts, but still managed to make it. That was the most nervous I’ve ever been in my entire life. I hate roller coasters and it was more nervous than that.

Have people responded negatively to you joining the team? If so, what do you say to them?

Yeah, I had some of my friends tell me I shouldn’t do it, that I was dumb for doing it. They didn’t take me seriously, but now that they see me be a cheerleader, they support me. I tell them it comes with a lot of benefits like an easy scholarship.

What was it like to perform in front of a crowd for the first time?

That was really nerve-wracking, but it was definitely a lot fun. I like being out there and doing my routine with everyone. It is really fun, because once you get it down, you don’t have to worry about it anymore. Just go out there and have fun.

What is the hardest thing about cheerleading? Do you have more challenges than the girls?

Probably tumbling. Learning how to tumble. You don’t have to learn how to tumble, but they would like for you to. Honestly, few years of football and other sports did not prepare my back for this, so having to stretch that out and get more flexible was the hardest thing. I think I have more challenges trying to relate to how the girls feel. I have a more football mind set of ‘keep going’, and waiting forever for a break. I think I was physically conditioned a lot more than they were, so I have to slow down and remember to respect them and their mindset because it’s not the same as mine.    

Was the school open to the idea of a male cheerleader or did you have to convince them?

The coaches were super excited, and I remembered the only thing they weren’t so sure about was Mrs. Elder. A few of girls and I were going in for tryouts and and she stopped and said, “Sir, where do you think you are going?” I responded with, “Cheer tryouts!” and she was surprised and said okay.

What is your favorite thing about cheerleading/being a cheerleader? Why?

My favorite thing about cheerleading is learning how to do a back flip, [it’s the] coolest thing ever. That and stunting is pretty fun. I like being able to show off our flyers. The most exciting thing is knowing that I can take this and mostly likely go to college with a scholarship.