Jonathan Smith ’24 became one of the select few chosen to perform for UCLA’s Spirit Squad at March Madness. 

“It was straight shock and excitement,” said Smith describing his emotions when he had gotten the email that he had been chosen to perform at a UCLA’s women’s basketball game during March Madness. 

“I didn’t think I’d make it since I’d never really co-ed stunted and I didn’t think I was strong enough,” Smith said. 

Smith explained his day leading up to the team’s performance,“My call time for the game was 6 PM which was an hour before it started. We warmed up, performed our fight song and the game went on,” said Smith. 

The Spirit Squad ended up winning with almost twice as many points as the other team, Smith said. 

“Since becoming a part of the UCLA cheer team, Smith said “I’ve primarily done “Coed” stunting, meaning it’s just me carrying a girl on my own,” 

Previously Smith had been used to distributing the work of carrying a flyer between two other people at Venice,“This was the hardest thing to adapt to,” said Smith.

However in preparation for March Madness, Smith had to go back to stunting,“All-Girl”, which Smith explains is similar to how stunting is done here at Venice. 

The cheer team used this method of stunt All-Girl so “that everyone that was selected for the game had the opportunity to stunt,” Smith said. 

  He reflects on the emotions he felt being able to perform at March Madness, “The excitement that I’d achieved something that I thought was unachievable,” said Smith.