Male Cheerleading | What It Takes to Be a Male Cheerleaders
Close your eyes and picture a cheerleader; do you see a female or male cheerleading? Most will imagine a teenaged girl, with lots of makeup, pleated skirted and sweater uniform, doing back flips or yelling a cheer.
It Takes a Real Man to be a Cheerleader
However, men make up a sizable portion of the cheerleading population. Male cheerleading responsibilities include yells, flips and other traditional cheerleading activities. However, the majority of male cheerleaders assist with pyramid formations and tosses. Many male cheerleaders are capable of tossing their female counterparts into the air as high as twenty feet or more. After such an athletic toss it is crucial for those male cheerleaders to acting as safety nets for the tossed cheerleader.
Strong, Athletic that's Male Cheerleading
They are strong, big guys, often standing over six feet tall and weighing well into the two hundred pound range. They have massive strength because the sport of cheerleading requires that they be able to hold a girl in the air, above their heads, with only one hand.
In other sports, making a mistake can go so far as to cause your team to lose the game. In cheerleading, if a male cheerleader makes a mistake, it could cause serious injury to themselves, the flying girl, or both.
A Change of Opinion about Male Cheerleading
When asked what their opinion is of male cheerleaders, many people say they think they're sort of feminine and girly, definitely not cool. However, after viewing a cheerleading competition, most people change their opinions. Dressed in casual clothing instead of the colorful cheerleading uniform a male cheerleader could easily be mistaken for the stars of the football team.
Male cheerleading is creating true athletes, so much so that ESPN and ESPN2 often carries coverage of cheerleading competitions. The competition for national championships is fierce.
Recruiting Male Cheerleaders
Often male cheerleaders say they were first approached by female cheerleaders wanting them to be on the team. Many say that, at first, they wholeheartedly reject the idea. And then, they try it, and realize how challenging it is and fall in love with the sport. Society, it seems, is slowly catching up. Male cheerleaders should be viewed as athletes; because that's what they are. With serious competitors, serious implications, it is dangerous, challenging and requires great strength - male cheerleading is a serious sport!
