Twenty minutes before the varsity cheer team performs for the end of the year rally, Noah Otto jumps up and down trying to ease his nerves. Otto was the only male to try out for the cheer team and he will be on the sidelines with the rest of the cheer squad this upcoming fall.

“My friends helped motivate me and pushed me to do better, and I just thought it’d be a cool experience to try something new, get on a team at school and it will help build my stunting and tumbling skills even further,” Otto said.

For Otto, this was his first time trying out for the cheer team. He tried out with no previous cheer experience beforehand. However, for the past five to six months, Otto has been tumbling through Free Flow Academy, the largest parkour gym in California.

“My only worries [during tryouts] were my stunting skills because I’m very new to all the stunting and it’s kinda overwhelming but fun,” Otto said.

Cheer would come far from any other sport Otto has tried before as he only placed ice hockey and baseball growing up. Despite this, his teammates have already bonded with him and realized his potential.

“Noah is great at tumbling and is constantly trying new tumbling skills and if he falls, he just gets right back up and tries again,” Elizabeth White said.

As being the only male, Otto has opened up the doors to encourage other boys to try out for the cheer team next year because he believes that it would make stunting on the team a lot better. Otto is a backspot, where he lifts the girls up, supports their ankles and catches them when they fall during stunts.

“It’s kinda cool knowing I’m the only guy that either wanted to or had the guts to try out. It’s definitely a unique experience being the only guy and being surrounded by girls all the time,” Otto said.

Otto’s main goal for the season is to become a better tumbler, stunter and to also work with all the girls and learn how to be an effective part of the team.

by MISSIE CARACUT