CHEER NEW YORK
Cheerleading is more than just pom-poms and chanting, as this New York City-based group prove year after year.
Enjoyed by 1.5 million participants in All Star Cheerleading, one group is offering an inclusive experience for those who want to give it a try – while also supporting LGBTQ people locally. We head to New York City to meet the team behind this one-ofa-kind organisation.
If you’re anything like me, you spent your youth furious that cheerleading wasn’t accessible to you because a) you were British, and b) a guy. Perhaps I wouldn’t have skived all those P.E. lessons if the activity had been on the curriculum – I mean, I was basically born to do a double from prep.
Despite the USA still being the great home of cheerleading, where it’s enjoyed by 1.5 million participants in All Star Cheerleading, one group has been battling to offer an inclusive experience for those who want to give it a try. And, most importantly, use the group as a driving force for helping small charities in New York City that are focused on LGBTQ issues and life-threatening illnesses – including HIV and AIDS. Cheer New York was started after the 9/11 attacks by Andrew Jonas in an attempt to bring something good to the city – and more than a decade on, the group are still doing more than just that.
I was offered a unique insight into their team spirit and individuality when some of the group met one Saturday morning in Astoria, New York. Between flips, I grabbed a moment with team coach Mark to find out more about this one-of-a-kind organisation.
What made you want to be part of Cheer New York?
People join Cheer New York for many reasons: wanting to give back to the community, a love of cheerleading, or looking to make new friends and to get involved. I personally had just finished my first year in New York and wasn’t feeling totally fulfilled in my work life. Finding Cheer New York allowed me to combine my cheer past with a desire to make a difference in the life of others – all while having a blast with like-minded individuals.
So how long have you been involved?
I’ve been on the team six years; one as a performing member, one-and-a-half as a captain, and threeand-a-half as a coach. New York is such a transient city that I’m impressed with our tenure. While many people stay on the team for just a few years, we’ve quite a few members who have been with us for upwards of five years and several that have been on the team for more than a decade.
Why do you enjoy being part of the troupe?
Most of our week-to-week is about the comradery of our teammates and the good times we have both at practice and socially, but then we have those special moments that remind us all why we are really here. The true reason we are successful is we are giving back and making a difference, and that feeling cannot be beaten. I get that feeling at an event seeing a child’s face light up when he or she is given a pom-pom to pose with, when I see a runner get a boost of energy after passing by us in a race, or when I hear how our fundraising efforts are directly impacting lives in the LGBTQ community.
Why are groups like this so important?
Anytime a group of individuals gets together and gives back of their own volition, it is a testament to the human spirit, and it should be celebrated. Cheer New York also is about spreading a message of pride, inclusion, and joy. It’s our hope — and we believe so based on experience — that people are lifted up by our performances and shouts of encouragement.
Tell us about some of the work that you’ve been doing so far...
Every year the team votes on a local New York charity to support through our Cheer For Life Fund. For the second year in a row, we’ve selected Immigration Equality, a non-profit that helps LGBTQ and HIV-positive people seeking asylum in the US. To raise money, we have performed at races and walks all around the city. We have also done some private events, including a surprise birthday party. Our big spring fundraiser was a talent showcase and raffle at Industry Bar, and to kick off Pride season, we hosted our first ever Miss Cheer New York drag queen pageant at The Historic Stonewall Inn, with the five competing queens donating all their tips to charity.
What are the troupe hoping to achieve?
For the last three years, we have successfully surpassed our giving from the year prior. This year, we hope to continue that trend, but you’ll have to check back with us after we present the check to Immigration Equality in December.
We are also headed to Gay Games Paris in August to perform in the opening ceremony with our sister Pride Cheerleading Association teams and raise money for a Paris-based charity while we are there. We also hope to defend our gold medal in the Cheer Dance category from Gay Games Cleveland four years ago.
The USA is an interesting political situation right now, especially when it comes to LGBTQ rights. What are your thoughts on the queer community in Trump’s America?
In a time where inclusion, diversity, and immigration are being challenged, we are trying to be the change we want to see in the world. Two very telling things occurred in our organization in the past few years. The first is for the first time ever, the team overwhelmingly voted to support the same local charity for a second year in a row, Immigration Equality. Secondly, we often see quite a few women tryout / join the team, which is only natural considering the ratio of men to women in the greater cheerleading community. In the last few years the number of strong empowered women who are joining as a desire to get involved, to have a voice, and to make a change has risen dramatically.
The cheerleading community has long been a female-centred sport and an all-American stereotype.
Do you think it’s important that the USA makes room for all gender identities across their sports teams?
Believe it or not cheerleading started with men and then shifted to a mostly female dominated sport later on. With the rise of All Star teams, social media, and representation of cheerleading as a coed sport, more men have rejoined the cheer world. The diversity of the cheer world could definitely have positive impact on other sports. Having a competition division for all girl, all male, coed, and different ability levels has given more people access to gyms and facilities, fostered completion and creativity, and challenged and shaped millions of young people.
Sports in American schools are incredibly popular and on a scale unlike in the UK. Do you think they’re accommodating to the LGBTQ community?
While we have made great strides in recent years, especially with more and more professional athletes coming out before they retire, there is still a stigma in the sports world that can only be changed by repeatedly challenging stereotypes and the status quo. That includes our ideas not only on sexuality but also on gender. Not only are there talented LGBTQ athletes, but also a strong powerful female isn’t any less feminine, just as a graceful or energetic male athlete isn’t any less masculine.
Tell us a little bit about the future of Cheer New York.
We have a saying on the leadership team, “don’t be bitter be better”. It’s our way of reminding ourselves to never rest on our laurels or to compare ourselves to others but to continue to challenge ourselves to grow and be the best version of Cheer New York that we can be. We will continue to support the New York City community as long as there are people willing to hire us and attend our fundraising events, which keep evolving and expanding. We hope our future will include a few of your readers! Tryouts for the Fall Season of 2018 are in August.