Sports
Longtime male cheerleader joins rigorous Ravens squad
W.Va. native was scheduled to cheer first pre-season game this week
Luke Jackson (front and center) says his work with Cheer D.C. was a good launching pad for a slot on the Baltimore Ravens Cheerleading team. (Washington Blade photo by Kevin Majoros)
Luke Jackson has been involved in every aspect of competitive and recreational cheerleading. Originally from West Virginia, Jackson was a varsity cheerl eader with West Virginia University for four years, cheered internationally in co-ed competitions and has coached throughout his career.
After moving to the D.C. area with his husband Andy, Jackson stepped into a leadership role with Cheer D.C., which utilizes cheerleading to promote spirit and elevate acceptance and equality for the LGBT community. He is also coaching at South County High School.
The only aspect missing was professional cheerleading and earlier this year, Jackson was selected to the Baltimore Ravens Cheerleading team. The Ravens remain as the only NFL team to have a co-ed stunting team. The squad consists of 35 women who perform stunts and dances along with 23 men who perform stunts.
The Ravens Cheerleaders perform multiple types of stunts that range from three bases and a flyer to individual partner stunting. To get back into top shape, Jackson put himself through intense training leading up to his tryout.
“A typical session was running on the treadmill, throwing a training partner, running back to the treadmill and then throwing her again,” Jackson says.
The tryouts for the Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders are a four-step process. On day one, Jackson threw one stunt with a female cheerleader and was invited back.
On day two he was paired with a veteran cheerleader for safety reasons and performed more stunts, tumbling and an interview session. He highlighted his work with Cheer D.C. during the interview and received positive feedback. Day three was another 20-minute interview.
The final tryout took place at the Under Armour practice stadium and was a grueling session of throwing stunt after stunt with every girl on the team. Jackson made the cut and was sent for the group picture.
“I have cheered for so many cheer organizations and the Baltimore Ravens are loving, kind and supportive of everyone on our team,” Jackson says. “From the moment you walk in until the moment you leave, it is serious but also so much fun. Practices are hard and safety is a focus. After each training session, we do two-and-a-half hours of CrossFit.”
The Baltimore Ravens had their first preseason home game against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday, the first game for Jackson as a Baltimore Ravens Cheerleader. He was hoping the moment brought back the same feelings he had in college.
“The Ravens have a marching band and I am looking forward to hearing the band music blowing, throwing stunts and that feeling of doing something you love in front of thousands of people,” Jackson says. “I am hoping for the same chills I got when I was a West Virginia Mountaineer.”
More than a dozen LGBTQ athletes won medals at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics that ended on Sunday.
Cayla Barnes, Hilary Knight, and Alex Carpenter are LGBTQ members of the U.S. women’s hockey team that won a gold medal after they defeated Canada in overtime. Knight the day before the Feb. 19 match proposed to her girlfriend, Brittany Bowe, an Olympic speed skater.
French ice dancer Guillaume Cizeron, who is gay, and his partner Laurence Fournier Beaudry won gold. American alpine skier Breezy Johnson, who is bisexual, won gold in the women’s downhill. Amber Glenn, who identifies as bisexual and pansexual, was part of the American figure skating team that won gold in the team event.
Swiss freestyle skier Mathilde Gremaud, who is in a relationship with Vali Höll, an Austrian mountain biker, won gold in women’s freeski slopestyle.
Bruce Mouat, who is the captain of the British curling team that won a silver medal, is gay. Six members of the Canadian women’s hockey team — Emily Clark, Erin Ambrose, Emerance Maschmeyer, Brianne Jenner, Laura Stacey, and Marie-Philip Poulin — that won silver are LGBTQ.
Swedish freestyle skier Sandra Naeslund, who is a lesbian, won a bronze medal in ski cross.
Belgian speed skater Tineke den Dulk, who is bisexual, was part of her country’s mixed 2000-meter relay that won bronze. Canadian ice dancer Paul Poirier, who is gay, and his partner, Piper Gilles, won bronze.
Laura Zimmermann, who is queer, is a member of the Swiss women’s hockey team that won bronze when they defeated Sweden.
Outsports.com notes all of the LGBTQ Olympians who competed at the games and who medaled.
Sports
US wins Olympic gold medal in women’s hockey
Team captain Hilary Knight proposed to girlfriend on Wednesday
The U.S. women’s hockey team on Thursday won a gold medal at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
Team USA defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime. The game took place a day after Team USA captain Hilary Knight proposed to her girlfriend, Brittany Bowe, an Olympic speed skater.
Cayla Barnes and Alex Carpenter — Knight’s teammates — are also LGBTQ. They are among the more than 40 openly LGBTQ athletes who are competing in the games.
The Olympics will end on Sunday.
Sports
Attitude! French ice dancers nail ‘Vogue’ routine
Cizeron and Fournier Beaudry strike a pose in memorable Olympics performance
Madonna’s presence is being felt at the Olympic Games in Italy.
Guillaume Cizeron and his rhythm ice dancing partner Laurence Fournier Beaudry of France performed a flawless skate to Madonna’s “Vogue” and “Rescue Me” on Monday.
The duo scored an impressive 90.18 for their effort, the best score of the night.
“We’ve been working hard the whole season to get over 90, so it was nice to see the score on the screen,” Fournier Beaudry told Olympics.com. “But first of all, just coming out off the ice, we were very happy about what we delivered and the pleasure we had out there. With the energy of the crowd, it was really amazing.”
Watch the routine on YouTube here.
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