Cheerleading GCHS graduate Jude Beaver to compete professionally
Mar. 27—GREENSBURG — Greensburg Community High School graduate Jude Beaver has a shot at stardom in the growing sport of professional cheerleading.
Beaver has been asked to join a professional team in North Carolina to compete in the end-of-season cheerleading competition "The Summit" that will be broadcast on ESPN in late April.
Participating in cheerleading since he was 13, Jude, a "gentle giant" (he's 6'5"), used his experience as a cheerleader and as a coach to audition for Cheer Extreme All Stars, one of the top scoring gymnasiums in the United States.
And he aced it, winning himself a spot on North Carolina's All Star Cheer Extreme team,
To start with, one should know that cheerleading was originally an all-male activity.
According to Wikipedia, Princeton University had "Princeton Cheer" as early as 1877. Colleges and universities maintained a cheer squad to cheer their sporting teams on and provide down-time entertainment for sports fans during games.
Now, in 2023, professional cheerleaders, men and women, compete against each other for possible fame and glory.
A "supporting cheerleader" can make $15 to $20 an hour competing.
Many cheerleading athletes compete on professional-level teams on the cheerleading circuit while they attend online schools, funding their life goals with their cheerleading salaries.
Many successful cheerleaders can choose to become professional athletes drawing much larger salaries while working/cheering for NFL cheering teams like the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, the Los Angeles Rams Cheerleaders or the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders.
Cheerleaders net professional sporting teams more media coverage, airtime and popularity among their fan base.
Starting Monday, Jude will practice for six weeks with his new teammates before going to the April 29 and 30 competition at the World Disney Resort's "The Summit." The event will be televised on ESPN and the Disney Channel.
"This could open so many doors for him," Jude's mom, Christy, said.
But just because he's tall and wants to make his mark by tumbling, dancing, jumping and stunting doesn't mean his head is in the clouds.
What is he studying at Ivy Tech? What does he want to be when he grows up? He wants to become a children's minister.
For more information about competitive cheerleading and The Summit competition, go to www.varsity.com/all-star/competitions/end-of-season-events/the-summit/
Contact Bill Rethlake at 812-651-0876 or email bill.rethlake@greensburgdailynews.com
