At Michigan, there’s a clear pecking order as far as sports go.
Football, men’s basketball and ice hockey sit at the top.
Non-revenue sports come next.
And at the bottom sits a team that few people even know has varsity status: cheerleading.
I wanted to see what it would take to make the team. So after some thought and a lot of pressure from junior cheerleader Graham Block, I decided to give it a try.
When I arrived at Cliff Keen Arena on March 29 for the cheerleading team’s clinic, my nerves were palpable. It could have been the loud music that filled the arena and the 50 girls auditioning for the Michigan dance team that had me thinking I was at the wrong place.
When I found the cheerleaders who occupied a part of the arena, I quickly realized there were just two other men trying out alongside 30 women. If I wasn’t nervous before, I most certainly was now.
For the men, the clinic was an introduction to stunting, basically learning how to toss and catch girls.
As I stood there in the gymnasium, a single thought clouded my mind: whatever you do, catch the girl.
What could be more embarrassing than dropping a girl on her head?
Luckily, the members of the team immediately introduced themselves and made me comfortable.
“I saw you hit a chair and working on a torch,” said LSA junior Kevin Ginsburg, referring to cheerleading stunts. “It took me three days to nail a chair, and I’m now one of five elite stunters on the team.”
In a chair, the male cheerleader tosses his partner in the air and she sits in the palm of one hand while the other is holding her ankle. A torch is a more complicated maneuver. The partner steps onto the man’s hands while he is in a crouching position. Then he lifts her using just his legs and turns her foot 90 degrees, while the other hand is holding onto to her leg for balance.
Instead of lifting my partner up in the air for a torch, she ended up in my arms — not in a good way. I don’t think this is what is meant by sweeping a girl off her feet.
I was surely sweating as a result.
I also realized that I didn’t know as much about the team as I thought I did. Most students think team only performs at football games and other sporting events, but I learned the cheerleaders do so much more.
Besides their typical duties at sporting events, the team prepared for several months to compete at the NCA/NDA Collegiate Cheer and Dance Championships in Daytona Beach, Fla., last weekend. The competition tested the Wolverines’ ability to tumble and stunt with the best units in the country. Michigan placed fifth out of 14 teams in the intermediate coed division. Despite having the second highest subtotal score, the team stumbled through a part of their routine that resulted in a deduction.
“It’s the only opportunity they have to represent the University of Michigan as student-athletes,” Michigan coach Pam St. John said before the team left for the competition. “The kids are really excited to participate.”
I was especially impressed with the way the males on the team carried themselves. They didn’t take themselves too seriously and were just a bunch of guys having fun.
In recent years, the team has faced a sharp decline in male turnout. A few years ago, there were 20 males on the team, which has since dwindled to just 10. Recruiting efforts haven’t had the desired effect. Last year, the team performed stunts on the Diag to gain publicity. The female members have also visited the Intramural Sports Building and the Central Campus Recreation to recruit more men.
But for men, being on the team has its benefits. Members have access to the varsity weight room located in Canham Natatorium, as well as access to a personal trainer. Traveling to bowl games and NCAA Tournament games isn’t bad, either. The cheerleaders also receive a $150 stipend for books each semester.
“Every guy has that look on his face,” senior Kari Teweles said. “ ‘Are you serious? You want me to be a cheerleader?’ And then they try it one time and they’re hooked. It’s addicting, it really is.”
So, guys, try it out. You just might like it.