There are very unique people at LHS in which range from scholars to athletes to artists. However, one unique athlete is Jordan Ryals: male cheerleader.

Ryals moved to LO from Georgia this summer and started at LHS. He says that he was disappointed to move but was willing to do it.

Ryals is a sixteen years old junior. He really enjoys science out of all his classes at LHS. Ryals is a part of Oregon’s Dream Team, a Senior Medium Coed 5 team, in which consists of seven other guys along with girls. Ryals started cheerleading because he watched his sister’s competitions and it looked like fun. He also has played baseball since he was three years old.

Ryals said that since he is a male cheerleader, he has been made fun of by his peers, but that has stopped after he was able to show what he could do.

“I was made fun of at first, but once people saw what I could actually do, it stopped,” said Ryals.

Ryals says that his friends ask him all the time to do flips and such for them, and he has even received a free Dutch Brother’s Coffee drink for doing a flip for the barista. His favorite tumbling pass is an Arabian round off punch front and a round off back handspring.

He loves cheerleading because it challenges him. Each flip and tumbling he overcomes and can perform is an accomplishment. His favorite part about being on the team is competing in front of crowds and the spirit of his team as a whole.

“Being on the cheerleading Dream Team makes me feel a part of a team always knowing people have my back and I have theirs.”