Gimme a "J"

Some people have wondered if I am serious about the whole cheerleading thing. So here is some insight into the whole situation.

I am a Dixie State College cheerleader, or I will be next year, anyway.

A quick clarification of the boy cheerleading duties: I don't dance! Okay, now that that is clear I will explain some of the wonderful reasons why I decided to add to my crazy schedule.

There are multiple reasons that I have decided to do this (some people have asked):

• Physical fitness: It takes a lot to throw people around. In the short amount of time that I have been working on this I have realized that I need to get into better shape, and I'm actually doing something about it instead of just talking about it.
• Resume builder: Kathy hit this nail on the head. I want to be the valedictorian when I graduate with my bachelor's degree. Typically they don't notice students that sit quietly in classrooms and go home to their homework. I need to get recognized, and the more clubs I'm in the better.
  
• Social networking: I have made some great connections in the worlds of English and education. There are a lot of other kind of people out there, and you never know who will be able to further your career. You can say what you want about cheerleaders, but usually anti-social is not a term used to describe them.
• Vicarious living, sort of: When I was in high school three of my better friends were guys on the cheer squad. I spent most of my free time with them and the girls on the team. Back then I didn't try out for a variety of reasons, but I really wish I did. So I spent the year being a vicarious cheerleader. I recently saw a T-shirt that said: "Live vicariously through yourself." I don't know if the shirt was trying to be funny or make a statement, but I thought about it and I guess what that is what I am doing now.
• Proving that I'm not too old: When I saw the tryout poster, I joked around about trying out. Most people laughed at me and said I was too old. I don't like being told that I can't do something.

And finally:

• Because I really want to. I've always been really competitive with myself. I prefer the types of games and sports in which achievement is measured by personal improvement, and that is what cheerleading is for boys. You try to do a stunt, and you fail. So you try it again. You get a little better, and so on. Once you've mastered a stunt you move on to the next level. It's really cool.
  

Hey, at least I'm unique. How many thirty-something year-old, English-major, married-with-children cheerleaders do you know?