One of Bowling Green’s bigger “clubs” is looking for more male participation.

Cheerleading tryouts are being held Friday and Saturday for the upcoming season and open gyms are currently being held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Valerie Faley, Cheerleading coach, said that they are looking for more males to tryout because they have had a lack of male interest in the past few years.

The stereotype of male cheerleaders as being “gay” or needing to have a lot of upper body strength is not necessarily true, Faley said.

“It does take a lot of strength, but it also takes much technique,” Faley said. “Much of the time technique can compensate for strength.”

Jon Kippins, Assistant coach for the group, said that they have tried a new approach to find males for the team this year, to combat the stereotype of cheerleading being a female sport. “This year we have had open gym’s at the student recreational center and other places to gain spectators,” Kippins said. “Then we have the girls go over and convince the guys to try it out.”

Kippins said that they have also had the girls talk to guys all over campus and let them know that they have a “club” that is sports affiliated, where you get to interact with people and have fun.

“We just don’t let them know right away that we are talking about cheerleading because of the stereotype that guys have with the sport,” Kippins said.

He said he does not understand how the stereotype is true due to the fact that cheerleading started out as a male sport, where football players would stand on the sideline and cheer their team on.

The amount of work it takes is not easy at all, but we have fun though, Kippins said.

“I think it is impressive to see the average guy lift and toss a girl above his head,” he said.

Boyd Davis, a potential cheerleader, said he does not care about the stereotype because he is going to do what he wants to. “I played football at my high school and I know that this sport takes strength as well,” Davis said.

He said that people should not make a judgment on cheerleading until they have came out and tried it and then maybe they would see how much work it really is.

Kent Hansen, who has been a member of the cheerleading squad for two years, now said that he does not understand where the stereotypes come from, since he is the only gay person on the team.

“People think that if you are a cheerleader you are gay when obviously that is not the actuality of it,” Hansen said.

If anyone is interested, contact Valerie Faley as soon as possible.