For juniors Akeem Cooper and Quantavius Bradley, joining the cheer team wasn’t just about breaking stereotypes; it was about finding a space where they could be themselves.
Cooper joined the cheer team last year and became the first boy cheerleader in Midtown history to cheer in a state championship.
“It was awesome,” Cooper said. “The first year was amazing, and I’m excited to continue to be a part of such an amazing team, and I’m very grateful that I ever got this opportunity.”
Inspired by Cooper, Bradley decided to also join the cheer team.
“Seeing Akeem go out there and crush it made me want to too,” Bradley said. “I’m proud of Akeem for starting this and kind of paving the way for me. I do dance, as well, but Akeem really started my path for cheerleading, and I love that now we get to do it together.”
Cooper and Bradley agree that being a guy on a team is just like being any other member of the team.
“There is kind of more hoorah behind it because we are both guys,” Cooper said. “But in the end, we are all the same. We all have the same goals. We all have the same practices. So, I don’t think I’m better in any way than my teammates.”
Cooper and Bradley have faced backlash from male peers.
“Sometimes people are kind of mean about it,” Bradley said. “It just isn’t really the norm, and people don’t like that. That being said, my teammates and coaches have been super welcoming and supportive, which makes it easier to jump that hurdle.”
Cooper and Bradley agree the team has been welcoming, along with the coaching staff.
“We absolutely love Akeem and Quantavius,” senior cheerleader Delaney DeShields said. “They are just like any other member of the team, but obviously they are both so special, and they both mean so much to me.”
Cooper believes being a guy forces pressure onto him to make sure to not make mistakes.
“There’s always pressure,” Cooper said. “We all face pressure as a cheerleader, but because I’m a guy, it sometimes feels like my peers, especially male peers, are kind of counting on my downfall. So, I do feel a little additional pressure because I know people are watching me and kind of hoping I mess up.”
Cooper and Bradley have brought more than just diversity to the team; Cooper created an original cheer for the cheerleaders to perform.
“I’ve always been so interested in cheer,” Cooper said. “And I always wanted to make my own cheers. That’s when I created the ‘Rock it’ cheer, and I hope to keep making more. One of the girls basketball players complimented that cheer, and it felt really special, and that I was making an additional impact on the team.”
DeShields said she loves how Cooper and Bradley bring different voices together.
“I think it’s very nice having Quan and Akeem’s voices with the girls,” DeShields said. “They can go a little bit lower and, overall, make us all louder, which I feel like makes us do a better job.”
Cooper believes that male cheerleading is becoming increasingly popular.
“When we play in games, I sometimes see guys on the other sidelines,” Cooper said. “It makes me feel good, and I love that it’s becoming more common.”
Bradley said seeing other guy cheerleaders motivates more to become cheerleaders, too.
“It’s kind of like a chain effect, like me seeing Akeem cheerlead made me more excited to join,” Bradley said. “And I hope other guys see Akeem and I cheer and motivate them to join. Also, things like the Netflix show Cheer represented a lot of guys in cheer. I feel like it makes it a more welcoming environment.”
DeShields said she is happy they joined the team and urges more guys to join.
“I’m very happy that we’ve created a welcoming environment that makes Quan and Akeem feel invited,” DeShields said. “Cheer isn’t a sport with a specific gender, even though it’s kind of been thought out to be that way. I hope more people get inspired by Quan and Akeem and will join themselves, and people will stop making things that have to fit certain boxes.”
Bradley said he doesn’t let stereotypes hold him back.
“It’s simply not worth it to try and fit into a certain box,” Bradley said. “I love doing dance; so, I joined dance, and I love doing cheer; so, I joined cheer, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. I feel like everyone should pursue the things they love, even if that isn’t the traditional way of how whatever the thing may be is done.”
