The tables were turned during the month of April as male Vikings came together for cheer practice, on Mondays and Wednesdays, from 3:00 pm until 5:00 pm preparing to support their fellow lady Vikings at their annual Powder Puff. The game took place on Thurs., May 1, at 6 p.m. at the Allen Layne stadium.

While the girls practiced their football drills and plays, the boys memorized cheers and practiced stunts coached by current varsity cheerleaders, juniors Danielle Adams, Lauren Rodriguez, Shayla DeGuzman, Molly Donahue, and Amanda Martinez. These cheerleaders were chosen by English teacher and former cheer adviser, Mrs. Hill, to coach the boys.

“Most cheerleaders aren’t really interested in being one of the coaches for the boys because it’s a lot of stress, but I think it’s really fun,” Danielle Adams said.

The coaches chose the easier cheers to teach the boys and adjusted them as they practiced, if the movement was too difficult. In total they learned 15 routines, Come On and Let’s Go being the most popular among the boys.

“They all have their own personalities and are better at something than everyone else, so they have really different strengths and they’re all really fun,” Shayla DeGuzman said.

One of the male cheerleaders, sophomore Ryan Gutierrez, used these Powder Puff practices as preparation to try out for the actual cheer team hoping to make varsity. Gutierrez developed an interest for the sport a year ago when he first began dating his cheerleader girlfriend, sophomore Mikayla Minning, who he shares is supportive and goes to the open gym with him every night to work on his tumbling.

“It’s an amazing thing,” Gutierrez said. “At first I didn’t even think cheer was a sport. I just thought it was girls being cute coming to games and everything, but I found out there are competitions, they practice a lot, and it’s just a lot of hard work.”

Not only did they enjoy being in the limelight for a game, but what initially began as participating for the fun of it, developed into a strong appreciation and respect for the cheerleaders and the sport itself.