If you watched any West Fork High School football games this season you probably heard the name Wyatt Montgomery. Wyatt had a spectacular season as running back and linebacker for the Tigers. After football season Wyatt packs up his pads and participates in something a little different.
“After football I participate in cheerleading,” said Junior Wyatt Montgomery. “I am a hard core cheerleader.”
Montgomery racked up 1042 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns and five sacks this season for the West Fork football team. You might be wondering why the star football player does cheerleading in the off season? The answer isn't what you might be thinking.
“A lot of people think it`s about girls, and guys just want to go be with girls, but cheerleading is a sport,” said Montgomery. “It`s ridiculously hard. I`m a competitive person and I like to compete and be better than everyone else and that`s just my personality. I knew we could be better and I knew I could help the team. I felt I was good at it and it was something I really wanted to do, it caught my interest quickly.”
The West Fork Cheerleading team is traditionally known for having boys on the squad but since Montgomery joined last year the number has sky rocketed.
“Because of Wyatt we had 6 boys this year instead of 1 or 2,” said West Fork Cheerleading Coach Deborah Hughes.
Out of those six boys four are on the football team and one was a former player. Head football coach Rodney Selph feels cheerleading helps improve his players on the field.
“I think with all the young men who are doing cheerleading the big thing is the flexibility side of it,” said Coach Selph. “The stretching they do helps them so much.”
Montgomery credits a lot of the success he had on the football field this season to cheerleading.
“It really helps,” said Montgomery. “We stretch and we jump. I didn`t get injured in football near as much as I did in the past. It`s so much more physical and agile cheerleading is and when you get out on the field it really helps you.”
Luckily for both the football and cheerleading teams Montgomery is only a junior and will be back to play an cheer next year.