Gage Armstrong breaks barriers in cheerleading at EHS; rewarded with college scholarship

Gage Armstrong is a special young man who has broken a barrier of being the first male cheerleader at Edwardsville High School.

Recently, he set another standard for other Edwardsville cheerleaders to follow – earning a full scholarship to Morehead State University, a powerhouse in national cheerleading competitions.

Armstrong said his ultimate decision to attend Morehead State University was more than just because of the cheerleading program.

“I fell in love with the school and the atmosphere at Morehead State,” he said. “From the outside, the school looks very old, but inside, it has a very modern feel. They have such a big legacy in cheerleading and 36 times have won the national cheerleading championship. I am so passionate about cheerleading and it is a good fit.”

The Edwardsville youth said he is always working to improve himself and he will do that again at Morehead State.

“I am very excited for the season coming up,” he said.

The tryout process at Morehead State was not easy and Armstrong said he had a lot of nerves, but was thankful to have been selected as a cheerleader for next year and the scholarship. Armstrong said he appreciated the coaching staff at Morehead State and that was one of his attractions to going to school there, along with the cheerleading squad itself. He thanked his high school coach for her help in his high school time and his family for their constant support.

Armstrong said he is glad he is the first to be a male cheerleader at Edwardsville High School and he is hoping males see it as not just a girls’ sport, but a co-ed sport with a lot of competition to it.

“I played football my freshman year of high school and I loved watching cheerleading,” he said. “Cheerleading is so much more of a physical sport than people realize. I am looking forward to moving to college where it will be a new experience with 21 guys on the team. It will be awesome; I will love it.”

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