I feel that the cheerleading epic “Bring It On” is
one of the greatest cinematic achievements of all time. As far as
my all-time favorite films, it is right up there with “The
Conformist,” “Casablanca,” and “The
Testament of Dr. Mabuse.”
I love cheerleading so much.
Abner Shao is a 19-year-old second-year student at UCLA, who is
a male cheerleader under the tutelage of advisor Rhonda Robertson.
Shao was gracious enough to give me an interview, so that I could
learn more about the world of male cheerleading. I interviewed Shao
from his dorm room.
As we began, the thin rectangular slab of wood that lay over
Shao’s mattress gave me the heebie-jeebies. More on that
later.
Daniel Miller: What do you enjoy about cheerleading?
Abner Shao: In high school I was always part of ASB. I always
had school spirit. When I came to UCLA they taught us the 8-clap
and I thought it was cool. I wanted to be part of yell crew, but
another part of me wanted to learn how to tumble. My mentor Terri
Kinsley, an alumni cheerleader, advised me to try out for cheer,
and said that it was a lot of fun. But I was like, “I am too
skinny ““ look at my twiggy arms.” She told me a lot of
cheer is technique and weight lifting. I was kind of hesitant at
first, but I am glad that I tried out.
DM: So what can you bench?
AS: Oh God, I don’t know, like 140 pounds.
DM: I can bench 85 pounds.
AS: I doubt that.
DM: I worked out last year and I got up to benching 180
pounds.
AS: Are you serious?
DM: No. I meant 100 pounds.
AS: Oh.
DM: I’m sure every cheerleader drops his teammates. How
does it feel to drop a girl?
AS: If we drop in a stunt we have to run. We really work hard at
not dropping in the stunts. It just looks dumb. The quote is
“don’t look like a jackass.”
DM: You guys have to get up pretty early, huh?
AS: 6:30 a.m.
DM: That’s ridiculous.
AS: (laughing) In the lifestyle of an athlete it’s not
ridiculous. But in the lifestyle of a college student it’s
early.
DM: The wooden board you sleep on looks really uncomfortable.
Can you tell me about it?
AS: It is a Japanese mattress ““ a tatami. It is wood with
straw thatching.
DM: Do they make you sleep on it as a punishment for dropping
cheerleaders in stunts?
AS: No, I’ve had it for five or six years. It is very
comfortable. I opt to sleep on hotel floors when the team travels
as opposed to a bed.
DM: Do you think there is a stigma attached to being a male
cheerleader?
AS: There is a stigma attached to being a male cheerleader, but
I think it’s regional. At schools like Kentucky or Hawaii,
you get recruited for cheer ““ cheerleaders are just as
respected as football players. At UCLA we are just supposed to
represent ourselves well and the school. It has definitely been a
really great experience that I’ll take with me for a long
time. The cheerleading squad is currently looking for men to join
the competitive team. We are looking forward to going to the
Nationals in Vegas this February.
DM: Do the dudes hang out with the chicks on the squad?
AS: Yes they do. Our team is pretty close. Some of the members
on the team hang out outside of school. We’ll go out and get
coffee or whatever. I am meeting people I would never have met if
not for the spirit squad.
DM: The lady cheerleaders are pretty hot, huh?
AS: Yes, that’s the one thing that everyone asks about. In
a way you see them in the early mornings, and no one cares what
they look like, and that’s when you know you are really
comfortable with each other. We definitely have a pretty cute squad
this year, but besides physical appearances we have a really
talented group of people.
DM: How about the dude who dresses up in the bear costume?
AS: Being a mascot looks like a lot of fun, and it is fun, but
it’s really hot in the bear suit. Once you get used to the
smell it’s not so bad.
DM: What does it smell like?
AS: Kind of like gym clothes.
DM: Do the cheerleaders ever feel like the bear steals their
thunder a little bit?
AS: Not at all.
DM: What type of music do you like?
AS: Craig David, Mariah Carey, Linkin Park and Dirty Vegas. And
how can you forget Nirvana?
DM: Do you like Bob Dylan?
AS: No.
Male cheerleading?
Don’t think twice, it’s alright.