Flying High!

This week Lila sat down with Rosanne Choong, President of the Imperial Titans, for an interview on behalf of her society. Cheerleading is an often-overlooked sport—as predominantly women-led, it can be dismissed on sexist grounds. Cheerleading does not exist just as an exercise to fulfil the support of male-dominated sport, but is an intricate activity of strength, agility, and rhythm in its own right.

LH: Can you tell us about the team's most recent achievements or competitions, and any rewarding moments from the season?

RC: Last year, the level 2 non-tumbling team won the Future Competition in the division, which was thrilling. Our level 1 team performed amazingly at competitions, greatly improving in the second one in Essex despite most of the team having never done it before. The rewarding moments are all down to the team bond, and the coaches that implement this attitude within us. Renee and Han work incredibly hard to strengthen the team and our captains value motivation and work hard to deliver brilliant positive messages, fostering a great sense of community within cheer.

LH: As a former member of Imperial dodgeball (sorry Wolverines!) I know one or two things about post competition nights. What does the Titans' look like?

RC: Union, mega pints, sleep—lots of the latter particularly. Also, many, many shared albums and photos sent on the WhatsApp group chats to be shared on Instagram.

LH: What is your main aspiration for this year? Could be anything—a particular stunt, or competition?

RC: Hitting zero. This means we have performance during a competition where we execute the routine without any deductions. The stunts go up and don't fall down. But we also have a particular emphasis on having fun. Most people are new to cheer so we must keep it fun, otherwise why would they be here?

LH: You mention people being new to cheer. Do you have any advice for freshers?

RC: We know at university, lots of people haven't done cheerleading. Especially with the influx of Netflix cheer docuseries inspiring people to consider joining the crazy world of cheerleading and learn how to stunt. We recognise this and teach our society members to safely stunt and work with others to help push stunts forward. There's also a stigma that cheerleading is super cliquey, and cheerleaders are scary. I can confirm, as someone who is 4'10, this is not the case at all. Cheerleading is built on the foundations of strong teamwork, positivity and commitment. We have a range of degrees being studied by our members and it is amazing seeing all the versatility that cheerleaders bring to the table. We also have super fun socials that have had themes closely aligning with what we are passionate about: for example, brat.

LH: I love that. I was going to mention your height earlier in this interview when you mentioned the mega-pint that I have personally seen in your flat, but I thought it was best to leave it up to you.

RC: There it is. Anyway, cheer is super welcoming, our socials are inclusive and creative - ranging from friendship bracelet making to fun nights dancing the night away at Embargo's. Cheerleaders will show everyone up on the dance floor. It's just a fact.

LH: I know one or two things about that laminator of yours.

LH: Do you have any advice for young men that are apprehensive to join because of stereotypes associated with them?

RC: Cheerleading, whilst stigmatised for being female-dominated, is not gender-specific. In fact, every year we have a 'bring a boy' taster session in freshers week as we are passionate about inclusivity and diversity. I think there needs to be more emphasis on the sport as an exercise of strength - across all genders, otherwise the sport gets misinterpreted.

LH: Tell me about the showcase you have got coming up!

RC: This is the first time Imperial College Titans will be performing in a showcase. The event will be a collaboration with UCL and King's College cheerleading clubs, making it an incredible opportunity to watch teams from all three universities perform the routines they've been practising this year. Across the three clubs, 18 teams will take the stage, showcasing routines that range in difficulty from levels 1 to 4. You'll see everything from stunts and tumbles performed by members brand-new to cheer, to complex and thrilling stunts executed by seasoned athletes with years of experience. Back in January 2024, I went to a friend's birthday bar crawl where I met the future president of King's Cheerleading Society. The idea was born there. UCL Lightning enthusiastically joined in, and the rest was history. We've been planning this since summer, and I can't wait to see all our hard work come to life. Even designing the poster took a week, as we made sure the colours represented all our societies perfectly.

LH: Where can I watch?

RC: March 1st, 7pm, Greenwood Theatre, 55 Weston St, SE1 3RA.

LH: Amazing.

LH: Lastly Rosanne, can you tell me the most special part of cheerleading to you?

AC: Cheerleading has formed a massive part of my university experience and without it, there would be a real absence of that feeling of community and truly making a difference in my life. Taking on Social Sec. and President roles has not only given me bragging rights and the ability to impress people with my Jägerbomb drinking capabilities but it has really instilled this sense of self-belief. Specifically with the President role, cheer has taught me so, so many lessons. I've developed my leadership, communication and shown to myself that I can do it. I think this applies to every single person within the cheerleading society. After every session, it's clear that people walk home from Beit with this great sense of achievement, that they were either able to fly in the air or manage to lift people up both physically and metaphorically. Cheerleading has given us friends we couldn't live without. How could you say no to joining?

LH: Brilliant, thank you so much!

If you want to find out more about IC Cheer, their Instagram is @ictitanscheer.