Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/315828
more inclusive. They come in a variety of looks and body sizes. A few cheer- leading teams even include students with special needs. "Sometimes we are all portrayed as being stuck-up, which is a stereo- type," says Red Bluff High School cheerleader Chase Feusi. "They think we are always wearing our uniforms at school. We aren't like that at all." Cheerleaders say the main benefit isn't prestige but being part of a team and learning important life skills. "It's a really good bonding experience," says Agoura High varsity cheer- leader Samantha Starling. "These girls are like my second family." " C h e e rl e a d i n g h e l p e d m e to get through high school," relates Monesha Stroman of Oakland High School. "Once I started cheerlead- ing, my grades got better." H e r c o a c h , Tu r n e r, a d d s , "Cheerleading helps girls work together because they have a goal they are striving for. It gives them confidence and self-esteem. When you see girls blossom and mature, it's so worth it." Boys can be cheerleaders, too. " T h e r e ' s n o t m a n y o f u s ," says Everett Fitzpatrick, Agoura High junior varsity. "But we're awesome." P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y S C O T T B U S C H M A N "It's progressing like any other sport," she says. "Cheer- leading is an activity, and our main purpose is supporting the athletic teams at the high school. Above and beyond that it's also a sport. It's a tricky situation." She coaches several teams, including the Crowd- leader Division first-place team at last year's Nationals in Anaheim. Some of her teams pay extra for competitions; others only perform at school events. Cheerleading is part of her school's athletic department, which offers funding, unlike most schools. "It's something we fought for," says McGrew, a former cheerleader who knows how to rally the fans. Cheerleaders are various shapes and sizes Cheerleaders still get a bad rap for being snobby and focused on looks. That image lingers, thanks to shows like "Glee" where cheerleaders are mean. Actually, today's cheerleaders are much The sport of cheerleading is supporting the athletic teams at the high school, says Eileen McGrew in Agoura Hills (center), whose teams have won regional, state and national championships. "Cheerleading should be considered a sport because of the safety factor," says Jesse Cerda in Fontana. "We're lucky our athletic department provides trainers to make sure our kids are safe." 53 www.cta.org M AY 2 0 1 4 Educator 05 May 2014 v1.6 int.indd 53 5/16/14 3:22 PM