Blaze Coach, Principal Discuss National Championship

By Doug Davis • This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

• February 15, 2010

     The Blackman High School Cheerleading squad won the National High School Cheerleading Championship for small varsity co-ed teams Saturday in Orlando.

Murfreesboro Post- July 17, 2009

The Blackman football/competition cheerleaders volunteered 
for the 3rd annual rubber duck race to benefit the Rutherford 
County Child Advocacy Center.  The squad helped facilitate 
the live auction, organize supplies throughout the afternoon,
and clean up after the event was completed.  Over
8,000 rubber ducks were released into the Stones River, and floated their way to the finish line!  Nearly $30,000 was raised for the children of Rutherford County.

Football Player Chooses Cheerleading
Andrea Tatum - Varsity.com - April 2, 2009

Football or cheerleading? That’s the question long-time football player Stephen Collins faced last year when he was forced to choose between the two. Most 17-year-old guys would choose the obvious, but Stephen chose to be different, and even though his teammates, classmates, coaches, and teachers gave him a hard time for his decision, he ultimately chose cheerleading as his new favorite team.

From Mufreesboro, Tennessee, Stephen was always an athlete. He played baseball for five years, winning multiple championships and played basketball for his middle school team and helped to win a district, regional, and state title. But football was always his passion. When he entered Blackman High School as a freshman, his team went undefeated in the state’s toughest AAAAA football region and won the 2006 Lions Bowl, the freshmen equivalent of a state championship. As a sophomore, he started in the defensive end position and helped lead the team to their best finish in five years.

A year ago, Stephen decided to try cheerleading with two of his football teammates. His coach ignored their moonlighting on the cheerleading team for awhile, but finally refused to allow any of his players to cheer. He required that they choose one or the other. While the other two players sided with football, Stephen took on cheerleading as his full-time after school activity.

“It was hard cheering on the sidelines at my first game just feet away from the team I left,” explains Stephen. “The first pep rally was crazy – cheering on the football team instead of standing with them. Not to mention the fact that my decision was met with a lot of criticism. Some people were really disappointed in me.”

Negative reaction to Stephen’s choice came from students, teachers, and coaches. Many of them even thought he chose cheerleading as a joke. He received a lot of negative comments and even saw a lot of “spirit fingers” motioned at him in the hallways.

“They were just mad they didn’t have me on the football team anymore,” says Stephen. “As time passed, however their minds gradually changed. Now, some of those who were unsupportive will be trying out for cheerleading this spring.”

Stephen’s cheerleading coach, Courtney Gregory, is grateful for what Stephen has done for the cheerleading program. She says, “Stephen has really broken down barriers at our school in terms of male cheerleading. In the past, we have had to really go out and recruit guys to cheer for us, but this is the first year we find ourselves holding a tryout to choose between several. They see what Stephen does at pep rallies and games and realize that the stereotype about male cheerleaders isn’t true.”

Aside from more guys joining the team, Courtney is moved by Stephen’s athletic power, positive tone, and the enthusiasm for learning he sets at practice each day.

“Stephen demands that we work hard and cut out all the stereotypical ‘drama’ that many squads face. He reminds us to take care of business,” Courtney explains. “His decision to cheer has been a constant reminder of why we work so hard every day to meet our goals. He wants to get better every day, and that inspires those around him to do the same.”

For Stephen, cheerleading has been a learning experience and one that proved to him he was not in as good shape as he thought he was. To a guy who thinks cheerleading is not as active and difficult as football he says, “Come and see me.”

“If a guy thought he was in really good football condition, I would throw him into a competition routine. Competition takes a whole level of endurance I hadn’t expected when I played football. I would also tell him how being a cheerleader will expose muscles he never thought he had, and that if he came to practice, he would have a different outlook on cheerleading completely. That’s what happened to me. One practice and I was hooked.”

The main focus for Stephen at this point is preparing to cheer in college. Currently a junior, he has received feedback and interest from many top teams in the college cheerleading, and he hopes he has his pick when it comes to choosing a new cheerleading family.

Coach Courtney has complete faith in him. “He is a great cheerleader right now, but with another year of experience, he can be one of the best high school male cheerleaders in the country.”

“I plan to attend a Division I university and cheer for a small or large coed team,” says Stephen. “In addition, I would like to win a national championship, not only with my squad but also in partner stunting. These are two goals I have set for my future!”

Child Advocacy Center Duck Race