Male cheerleader at small rural school makes news

Male cheerleaders are common at colleges, but rare at rural schools, so it's news when one breaks the gender barrier, as Collin Hadley did at Koshkonong High School in south-central Missouri. So Jennifer Davidson, news producer, reporter and student trainer at KSMU in Springfield, did a story on him. She began: "This is a story about following your dreams, even though you might be swimming against the current." (Photo by Davidson)

Hadley was shy, but loved to tumble and do flips. His gymnastics instructor suggested he cheerlead, but he didn't bite until two girls asked him and a friend to do it. He tried out, and was not only accepted, but was nominated as an All-American and qualified for a trip to London, where he performed in a New Year's parade. His community, population 212, helped him raise the money for the trip. (Read more)