This question comes from my friend Rachel from SF. I wasn’t planning on actually answering this question but I’m in a story telling mood so I’m going to do it.
I attended high school in the middle of the ’80s. This was the era of movies like Breakin’ & Breakin’ 2, Electric Boogaloo. Everyone I knew was a break dancer. Even me. During homecoming week our school held a female football competition and a male cheerleader competition. Prior to my class, the class of ’86, the boys just dressed up in cheerleader garb with wigs and makeup and jumped around like a bunch of fools. Our class changed all that. Eight of us freshmen were very competitive and fairly good break dancers. We turned the homecoming male cheer competition into a real sport.
We choreographed complex routines that incorporated cheer leading, break dancing, and gymnastics. We did it to music and it kicked ass. Our class won this competition 4 strait years. Our senior year the varsity cheerleading coach finally recognized that these guys competing for school break dance superiority were probably actually better than the regular cheerleaders. So like any good 80′s movie, they gave us a job.
Eight guys and eight girls from Hanford, California were brought together to form the valley’s first ever co-ed competition cheer squad. We learned only one routine and we only performed at 3 competitions. We competed against all female teams from all over the state. Major schools like Simi Valley that dominated cheer competitions for generations.
We entered 3 competitions. We won 3 competitions. Even the state finals at Magic Mountain. And for us. It ended there. The school kept the program going with other classes but for us guys, 5 competitions were all we did.
So the question was, “what was it like being a male cheerleader?” I’ll answer it this way, imagine you are an 18 year old farm boy. One of 8 boys traveling around California competing at events with 500 high school girls. We are the ONLY boys. We win ALL the competitions. 500 girls, 8 boys. How would you feel?
Maybe I’ll post a picture later. A little side note, I was FFA chapter president at the time this was going on. High school was a lot of fun.
The rest of you on this squad feel free to chime in and correct my memory or add your own story below. Would love to hear it.
While I’m not a boy, and I wasn’t on the squad, 2 of my best friends were, and I went to all 5 (I think) competitions with you guys to cheer you on (ok, is that weird to cheer on a cheer squad?
)…..you guys were awesome, and I was so proud to call all of you “friend”. I remember driving down to Magic Mtn with Kim Kennedy in my mom’s camper….we had such a fun day watching you guys and cheering you on! And the Clovis competition, the COS competition (I don’t remember where the others were), but State was definitely the best!
That is just plain cool. I am so enjoying this series of posts.
Lori, you are right about three. I didn’t remember exactly where we went. Thanks for reminding me. Post edited for accuracy. I’m lucky to remember what I did yesterday.
Dino: What I wouldn’t give for a photo of that squad!
I’d love to see that picture