Though a 2010 federal court ruling deemed that cheerleading does not qualify as a sport under Title IX, don’t let the technicalities fool you — these students are athletes.
Ohio University’s cheer team trains just as long as varsity sports — practicing two to three times a week in addition to two weekly lifting sessions — and requires quite a bit of athletic talent.
“I feel like you need to be as athletic as any other athlete,” senior Stephanie Vero said. “You have to be very coordinated because it’s different than anything you’ve ever tried before.”
Though female cheerleaders often have years of prior experience, male athletes who take up the activity usually have none. But it attracts many men who displayed their athleticism through different high-school sports, coach Kristin Hoskinson said.
Sophomore Rodney Riley, who participated in high-school wrestling, baseball and soccer, learned the difference between cheerleading and every other sport the hard way.
“I’ve been hurt more doing this than anything else,” Riley said. “It really takes a huge toll on your body, and I was not expecting that.”
When looking for athletes to fill out her team, Hoskinson asks for a variety of different skills, including stunts, the standing back tuck and running passes. But that’s not all she’s concerned about.
“At tryouts, I’m really looking for potential,” Hoskinson said. “A lot of the girls within Ohio weren’t allowed to do stunts in high school, so I’m just looking for the potential that I could teach them.”
But the talent and potential don’t matter unless the athlete can positively represent the school.
“A big part of being a cheerleader for the university is being an ambassador for the university,” Hoskinson said. “They’re expected to represent the university in a positive way, and whenever they’re in their uniform, they’re expected to act in a very positive manner.”
As ambassadors for the university, the team makes appearances at events that range from alumni weddings to children’s birthdays and takes part in the Rufus Reads program, where members read to local elementary school students.
When representing the school on the basketball court or football field, the team’s No. 1 goal is to involve the crowd in the game.
“It’s their job to keep the crowd in the game 100 percent,” Hoskinson said. “They have to keep the players going and try to get momentum back on our side.”
The cheerleaders worked overtime after this year’s season, which normally runs from July and ends in early March, because of a Cinderella-like run by the basketball team.
They followed the team from Cleveland for the Mid-American Conference Tournament, to Nashville for the first two games of the NCAA Tournament and finally to St. Louis for the Sweet 16 game against North Carolina.
During the trip, the team participated in fan fests in Cleveland and made off-the-court appearances in St. Louis and Nashville. They also were present for the basketball team’s return to Athens.
“We wanted to let the (basketball) team know that we were there for them,” Hoskinson said. “We wanted to pass along what (the tournament run) meant to us.”
As the cheering squad transitions to the off-season and prepares for upcoming tryouts April 21, Hoskinson is pleased with what her team accomplished this season and looks forward to the next with big goals for the future team.
“The team really wants to go to Nationals to be able to compete as a team,” Hoskinson said. “They really want to prove themselves and their ability as a team and prove that they can compete on a national level.”
ch203310@ohiou.edu
