“He has a lot of excellent qualities that you’d want in a leader,” said Lenny Cervantes, Johnson’s cheerleading coach. | Courtesy of Jared Johnson
At a football, basketball or volleyball game, always seen is the UH cheer team, decked out in white and red uniforms, providing moral support for the players while performing for the crowd.
At the helm of the team is Jared Johnson, one of the five UH cheerleading squad captains. Johnson is a kinesiology senior that has to juggle school, work and cheerleading.
“The vigorous practice schedule makes keeping up with school work quite difficult,” Johnson said. “I make sure I plan as far in advance for things like tests and volunteer work.”
While some people consider cheerleading a women’s sport, Johnson is reversing the stereotype as an elite gymnast who spends a lot of time immersed in the sport. When he’s not working out or studying, Johnson is at his local gym, coaching younger cheerleaders to help the future of cheerleading grow.
Johnson started gymnastics at the age of 4 and made his debut in the competitive scene at 7. For the last two years of Jared’s career, he was classified as an elite gymnast.
“Cheerleading has given me the opportunity to travel all over the country, make friends that will last a lifetime and meet people who could connect me to a job in the near future,” Johnson said.
Things haven’t always been progressive for Johnson. In 2011, he had a shoulder injury.
“I thought it would mark the end of my career as a gymnast,” Johnson said.
He made a comeback in 2012, however, to complete his final season as a gymnast.
During Johnson’s second semester in college, he began cheerleading at UH. With no prior experience, Johnson made a splash and became a game-day college athlete. Johnson became a captain during his third season with the team and is entering his fourth.
Coach Lenny Cervantes, who previously competed on the cheer team, had a lot of praise for his star cheerleader.
“He’s a high level stunter,” Cervantes said. “He could cheer for about any college in the country. He’s without a doubt our best male cheerleader. He has the most experience and has national level tumbling ability.”
Cervantes said Johnson’s great leadership skills complemented his high performance ability.
“Jared has definitely made adjustments and become an even better leader than when I first met him,” Cervantes said. “The team has respect for his abilities. He understands that the better the individual is, the better the team will be.”
Senior interpersonal communications major Anissa Ybarra has shared a spot on the team with Johnson for the past several years. The two of them are the only fourth-year veteran cheerleaders.
“Jared’s impact on and off the field is super motivating,” Ybarra said. “It makes all of us want to work harder because his skills are the definition of flawless. During practice, he’s the glue to our team and a great leader. His easy going personality makes him fun to be around.”
Johnson hopes to continue his involvement in cheerleading after he graduates.
“I hope to coach cheerleading at the collegiate level,” Johnson said.
Johnson and the rest of the cheerleading squad will be at TDECU Stadium on Saturday when the Cougars take on the Golden Hurricanes.
