The Blue Devils Cheerleading team just got a new addition—junior Jason Ng, the only male on the squad. Despite having to balance his new team, his love for playing the cello and his academic load as a student in the Pratt School of Engineering—he’s trying to get #engicheer trending—Ng said he is loving the experience. The Chronicle’s Claire Ballentine spoke with him about cheering in Cameron Indoor Stadium and gaining 13 new sisters.
The Chronicle: Why did you decide to join the cheerleading team?
Jason Ng: It actually wasn’t me who initiated that decision, but by word of mouth, one of the cheerleaders learned that I used to tumble. She asked me if I would be interested in joining because the coach was looking to build a co-ed team. It’s been well beyond 10 years since they’ve had a male cheerleader. And I was willing to blaze that path. I didn't go into it thinking I would be the only male cheerleader, but I’m happy to be the first and hopefully bring that back into the program.
I felt like last year was just a continuation of my freshman year, and then at the beginning of my junior year, I was in a new major, I had a new roommate and a lot of things were new, so I thought it was a good mentality to live life like a freshman and take advantage of new opportunities. And this ended up being one of the biggest shifts in direction, one of the craziest turns in my Duke journey.
TC: Do you have any background in cheerleading?
JN: I’ve never done cheerleading before, but I used to do gymnastics in elementary and middle school. In high school, I wasn't competitive in gymnastics but I still went to the gymnasium and flipped around. I actually was a lot more involved in other things like music and academics. I never imagined that I would be in the athletics scene at Duke in any capacity.
TC: What is the team dynamic like?
JN: At first, I was very nervous entering the team as the only male cheerleader, but they were all really warm and welcoming. Once I joined I got 13 new sisters, so shout out to all of them for being amazing.
TC: What are your practices like?
JN: We have two team practices a week, one tumbling practice at a gym close to campus, and two workouts on our own time. And then, of course, games and travel. We always practice for an hour or two before the game.
TC: How do you balance everything?
JN: It’s definitely been crazy. That was the biggest thing weighing on my decision whether to do this or not. Because on one hand, this is a big time commitment, but also reconciling that with how this is kind of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to cheer for a D1 school and also help me stay in shape. I deliberated for a long time and talked with some of my close friends about whether I should do this or not. I’m not playing cello as much anymore, and I kind of scaled back on tour guiding. It’s definitely going to be hard, and it's only been a week of practicing with them. We’ll see how the rest of the semester turns out.
I feel like I kind of have a double life like Hannah Montana now. After the N.C. State game, I ran from Cameron back to my dorm to grab my cello and go over to Pegram for a chamber music sight-reading party with some of my friends. I’m still trying to balance the different things in my life.
TC: Have your friends been supportive of you?
JN: Definitely. There’s this one class, for example, where I would have to miss the only office hours that were offered because of practice. But I would meet up with a friend who went to office hours, and she would always help me out.
TC: What’s the atmosphere like in Cameron when you’re cheering?
JN: It’s absolutely crazy. When I went into this, one of my initial hesitations was that I wasn’t sure if I had that outward cheerleading spirit. But once I’m in Cameron and all the Crazies are cheering and chanting, it really helps me let go of my inhibitions. You’re just getting carried away with the excitement. I've never felt more unified with the rest of my peers. It’s an electric atmosphere.
TC: What’s the coolest skill you can do?
JN: I can do a roundoff, three back handsprings and a back layout. I’m working on adding some twisting elements. I can do a roundoff, back handspring and back half, but I want to eventually work it up to a full. However, that will have to be off-court because NCAA and ACCAA do not allow twisting skills on hardwood.
TC: Is there anything else you would like to add?
JN: I wasn't really sure what the response would be like, being the one male cheerleader. But I think it’s good to continuously challenge expectation about what a cheerleader should look like or what a man should or shouldn’t do. I haven't had any negative criticism yet. It's been really positive and supportive. People are always like, "That's so cool that you’re on the cheerleading team now."
So if you’re a male or nonbinary tumbler, come check out our table at the activities fair next year. It’s your skill that will show through, and we really want to sustain this.
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