Male cheerleaders face obstacles in the sport

JACKSON, Mich. (WLNS)— Cheerleading is a sport loved by many, whether in high school or at a competitive level, and while it is loved by not only girls but boys as well, certain rules hold boys back from fully participating.

15-year-old Jalen Oliver and 8-year-old Nolan Phillips are students at Michigan Center Junior Senior High School in Jackson. While they have a strong love for the sport, Oliver says the two face an obstacle that many other male cheerleaders face.

“The competitive thing, the main one obviously. I can’t do anything,” says Oliver.

This is because in the state of Michigan—cheerleading is an all-girls sport.

Phillips who has been cheering since he was 4 years old, faces a similar issue.

“It’s unfair that boys don’t get to cheer, but girls get to do it,” says Phillips.

According to the Michigan School Athletic Association, boys may not participate on a girl’s team in MHSAA-sponsored postseason meets and tournaments. While they might be able to cheer at pep rallies and sports games, boys are banned from participating in any type of cheer competition.

So, Phillips’s mother, Elizabeth Phillips, made a petition to allow boys to participate in cheer competitions in schools, not just for her son, but for many boys who love to cheer.

Oliver understands that boys can’t compete at a school level competitively, but suggests a change.

“They could have a co-ed division just like they do at a collegiate level. They have all-girl, they have acro, they have co-ed,” said Oliver.

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