i was a junior high school, high school and college cheerleader. so it is with great anticipation that i sit and wait for the launch of camp jim -- the real world of cheerleading premiering on october 13th at 4:00 pm! who is this jim guy? and why a guy? oh wait, was he the coach on mtv's made: i want to be a cheerleader? dammit i can't remember. anyway, not since 2000's cheer-off, "bring it on" have i been so antsy to watch teenagers go through the angst of cheer competition!
more than a decade has passed since i donned my last pair of lolipops. the excitement of working the crowd, perfecting toe touches and leading pep ralleys has long been forgotten only to be revived when i meet sweet girls like siwy. we bonded one night at a bar in the east village. having gone through all the polite conversation topics, somehow, being cheerleaders came out and after the initial shock (of *me* being a cheerleader) we traded stories of basket tosses, summer cheer camp and the coveted spirit stick for the rest of the night. in my senior year of high school i had been invited to cheer in the macy's thanksgiving day parade (i was an nca all american finalist). i kick myself for not going. i could've crossed perform in nationally televised parade off my things to do in life list.
in the mid 90s, i remember keva marie of poot fame trying to gather round girls to go to nca's cheer camp. having been a veteran of such camps, i wanted to go but was afraid i couldn't keep up the way i once had (high school cheerleaders are limber and very athletic). nevertheless i think keva couldn't round up enough girls so it never happened.
what is the obsession with cheerleaders? adored or hated, i don't really care. but still, i am addicted to all things pep. if espn2 has national cheerleading competitions on, you can bet i'm watching it. i'm amazed by the technical athleticism of the kids today. remember when gymnast, nadja scored a perfect 10 in the olympics? did you see what mary lou had to do decades later to receive the same score? that's what i'm talking about.
i think once a cheerleader, always a cheerleader. forget the uniform, the habits are still there, "you can do it!"
editor's note: professional basketball/football cheerleaders suck. now that's the spirit!
