Brooke Topolovec had never participated in cheerleading before joining the WolfPack team five years ago. After shifting from a gymnastics career to cheer, she became the team captain and now looks ahead to graduation. She spoke with The Omega about cheerleaders being misunderstood as athletes, and what her time with the ‘Pack has been like.
ALΩ: What drew you to the WolfPack cheerleading team?
BT: I think that living in Kamloops my whole life, I saw cheer, and they practiced in the same facility as I was doing gymnastics in. For gymnastics in Canada, there’s not really any other option for university, so if I wanted to continue doing a sport in university, I would have to switch to something else, and cheer felt similar. I really liked the vibe of the team, so I thought it would be a good fit.
ALΩ: You’ve spent your entire university time with the WolfPack. What has kept you with the team so long?
BT: The coaches and the people are really amazing. It’s such a good atmosphere, and I think that having something else, besides your school, is really special. You feel a part of something bigger.
ALΩ: What’s it like to be a flyer (the person who is lifted into the air during stunts) and be thrown in the air multiple times during a routine?
BT: It’s really a big adrenaline rush. You have to have a lot of trust and faith in your team that they’re going to catch you no matter what. It’s definitely very different from any other sport I’ve done; it’s very unique. Having lots of faith in your teammate is really important. But it’s cool and definitely a different feeling.
ALΩ: Often, cheerleaders kind of get overlooked as athletes. What do you have to say about that?
BT: That definitely does happen, it’s especially the people [who] are not really educated in the sport that have that view and opinion. They see us as sideline cheerleaders [who] just cheer at games. Sometimes it’s hard, because that is something that we do, we cheer at games and cheer on other sports, but that’s a very small portion of what we do. I think that the average person, if they were to actually try cheer, would [find it] pretty difficult. If you actually try it, you would realize that it’s a real sport.
ALΩ: Most people don’t realize how physically demanding cheerleading is. What’s one thing that they might not realize about cheerleading in general?
BT: I think that people don’t realize that it’s actually a really big contact sport. We’re getting thrown around and stuff, but with that comes a lot of hits and injuries on your body. It’s a lot of impact that you’re taking on a daily basis. You get lots of bruises at the end of the day, so I think people don’t normally think about that when they think cheer.
ALΩ: How has your role of leadership evolved throughout the years that has turned you into the captain of the team?
BT: I think it’s changed from when I first joined the team. I had no cheer experience at all, and I was like a baby in my role. Now, like over the last few years, I’ve learned so much about cheer and understand what it means to be a cheerleader. Taking on this role has been interesting and has taught me a lot about leadership. It’s been nice.
ALΩ: What’s one thing you’re going to miss most about being with the WolfPack cheerleaders?
BT: My teammates and coaches, mostly, they’ve been a really big rock in my life for the past five years. That’s definitely going to be a different shift, and having something like no matter how stressful your day is, you go to cheer, and everything’s just kind of left at the door and you have something different to focus on.
ALΩ: How would you describe your overall time here with the WolfPack?
BT: I love it. I wouldn’t change anything about it, I don’t think. I’m really happy. I was on the fence about trying cheer and even going to TRU, but I’m so glad that I picked it.
ALΩ: What are your plans after graduation? Does cheer have anything to do with them?
BT: I’m going to try out for one of the cheer teams in Vancouver, and then I’m also looking to get a job within the school district down there. Hopefully to be an elementary school teacher.