{"id":1095,"date":"2025-10-24T10:05:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-24T10:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stuorgs2.gcc.edu\/thecollegian\/2025\/10\/24\/2025-10-24-male-cheerleaders-return-to-the-city\/"},"modified":"2026-10-06T23:12:52","modified_gmt":"2026-10-06T23:12:52","slug":"2025-10-24-male-cheerleaders-return-to-the-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stuorgs2.gcc.edu\/thecollegian\/2025\/10\/24\/2025-10-24-male-cheerleaders-return-to-the-city\/","title":{"rendered":"Male cheerleaders return to \u2018The\u00a0City\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Mia Gallagher<\/a> · Sport Editor<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
The cheer team performing a stunt during the annual night game. \u2014 GCC<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to the concept of \u201cmale cheerleading\u201d at the college, maybe the silly, slapstick dance routine performed during halftime of the annual Powderpuff game comes to mind. Or perhaps you think of the shirtless college superfans that lead the student section during football games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But for a couple of students, including senior Collin Alexander and sophomore Truman Poole, their desire to pursue new experiences and forge new relationships led them to redefine what being a male cheerleader at the college means.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA couple of close friends said they were interested in varsity cheerleading, so we reached out to the coach to voice our interest and follow through,\u201d Alexander said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was interested in joining a varsity sport that allowed for me to continue with my other activities and commitments and was flexible as well,\u201d Poole added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their decision to join the varsity squad renews a storied tradition of male involvement in the college cheer program. According to Hilary Walzcak \u201809, director of college archives and galleries, the program\u2019s earliest records indicate that it originally began as an all-male squad whose male involvement has ebbed and flowed throughout the college\u2019s history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHistorically speaking, (in) the 19th and 20th centuries, it was more common for men to be the cheerleaders and not women. Cheerleading originated as an elite all-male activity at Ivy League schools. Women started to cheer more during and after WWII. Mostly because there were (not) guys to do it during the war. And then it became a more female-dominated sport,\u201d Walczak said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their choice has also revolutionized the way the team approaches the acrobatic stunts they are known for. According to senior captain Kaitlyn Erickson, the guys\u2019 roles in back spotting and basing have been key to these stunting improvements and have freed up practice time for the girls on the squad to perfect their sideline chants and dances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving male cheerleaders on the team makes a huge impact on our abilities within stunting and allows for higher and more complex skills. This year\u2019s experience has been positively impacted by their presence, as they add an entirely different dynamic to the group, where we can establish newfound trust, great community and a unique collaboration effort,\u201d Erickson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Alexander and Poole, their reception by the team and wider college community has been generally positive, allowing them to set a precedent for the team going forward. Alexander, however, acknowledged an initial hesitancy to pursue the program, primarily due to the stereotypes associated with male cheerleading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe worst thing you can do is avoid something because of fear of what others will think,\u201d Alexander explained when asked what advice he has for other men interested in cheer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s fine to try something and not like it; it\u2019s also okay to try something and like it. That\u2019s how I approached this experience; if I didn\u2019t like it after pre-season, I wasn\u2019t going to do it. But I wasn\u2019t going to not try because of what I thought or feared others would think of me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learning new skills, receiving varsity gym access and gaining front-row seats to football and basketball games were among Alexander and Poole\u2019s reasons for originally joining the squad. But when asked what makes this experience truly worthwhile, they both claimed it\u2019s the teammates they have gained along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJokingly, my brothers have said that being on the team must be great \u2014 you have to hang out with girls. But oddly enough, the best part is being on the team. In high school, I knew some of the cheerleaders, and they were not the nicest people, yet this team is so deeply in love with God that their love for Him outflows into this wonderful community that is uplifting and full of joy,\u201d Alexander said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking ahead to the remaining football schedule and the upcoming basketball season, Erickson believes the guys\u2019 continued presence will further elevate the program to new heights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe not only expect to showcase our classic pyramid stunts but continue to make those stunts more dynamic. Our limits are being pushed every practice, with boundaries being exceeded with each new stunt we attempt, both as a group and individually,\u201d Erickson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To catch this year\u2019s cheer squad in action, be sure to attend the football game on Saturday as the Wolverines face off against PAC rival Westminster. The game will kick off at 1 p.m. on Robert E. Thorn Field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
The 2025 male cheerleaders posing together during media day. \u2014 GCC CHEER<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"The
The cheer squad boasts a storied tradition of male involvement. \u2014 GCC ARCHIVES<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"The
The 2025 cheer squad posing together during their annual media day. \u2014 GCC CHEER<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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