Ranger cheerleader Alfredo (AJ) Esquivel goes over his journey of playing football to now becoming a cheerleader on the varsity team.
By: Sophia Rexhepi
In our society it is common for people to be hateful when someone breaks what is considered the “norm.”
However, AJ Esquivel ’24 has learned to not stray away from his passions just because of pressures put onto us by society.
When asked what sparked Esquivel to make the shift from football to cheerleading he says, “I’ve been more open about being myself since coming to Redwood. I’ve realized after 3 years of football here I wanted a little change. I always have admired the cheerleaders and wanted to dance with them so I figured why not senior year be the year I join cheer.”
(Photo courtesy of Gigantea)
Esquivel played football for 8 years before becoming a cheerleader.
Esquivel was asked how cheerleading has impacted his life and he says, “Cheerleading has given me tougher skin. I’m more confident in myself. I can do things now without worrying about what people think. I feel like I’m becoming a new person and I am coming more into who I really am.”
Stepping out and doing something such as cheerleading as a male can be very scary because there are a lot of people who may not support you.
Esquivel says, “My family’s been pretty supportive. They helped me fundraise 584 dollars for cheer camp. There’s definitely those guys in the hallway who say stuff towards me but I’ve gotten that my whole life so its nothing new to me. I get a lot of support from my friends, teachers and staff so I feel supported.”
Esquivel says the girls on the team, “… are very supportive. They have been really awesome when I need a helping hand.”
Maelani Herrera ’24 one of the cheer captains of the Varsity team says, “Adding a boy to the team makes our team better because AJ adds a lot of strength and personality. AJ does so many facials and hits everything the way it needs to be.”
When asked what stood out about Esquivel, Herrera says, “Everything stood out about AJ. He fits in with the girls he is a great addition to our team. We all click together as a team”
Yvette Jaurrieta ’16, the cheer advisor at Redwood, says that “I think AJ is an asset to our team. He’s phenomenal. He has a great attitude and he has a great work ethic. I think he adds another layer to our team. He is an absolute joy to have on our team.”
(Photo courtesy of Gigantea)
Esquivel’s story of jumping from football to cheerleading can be used to inspire many other males or females to break societal norms.
When asked what advice Esquivel would give to other males who want to join the cheer team he says, “I would say just do it. Don’t let other people hold you back from who you want to be because I regret not joining cheer earlier. Don’t be afraid to join everyone here is supportive. You learn to get tough skin along the way.”
Sophia Rexhepi
Sophia' 24 is a writer for the Gigantea's sport section. She enjoys interviewing students and staff who break social norms. She loves writing and can't wait to interview the lovely students and staff at Redwood.
Tags: rangers, Redwood, redwood cheer, redwood gigantea, redwood high school, redwood journalism, redwood rangers, redwood sports, rhs, Sophia Rexhepi
