An overweight father has danced away the pounds and overcome a barrage of jokes – by joining his seven-year-old daughter’s all-girl cheerleading team.
Unfit Darren Peacock, 32, was 17.5 stone when he was jokingly dragged onto the floor mat while watching little Amy Jorja wave pompoms at her cheerleading group.
The father-of-two was left so out of breath and with so many aches and pains after being asked to help out with the lifting and tumbling he agreed to become the only male member of the Hunters Cheerleading troupe in Horwich near Bolton.
Now Darren has proved he is no ’embarassing dad’ by becoming a more lightweight 14 stone 12 pounds after shedding almost three stone thanks to his new hobby.
And the 6 foot 2 inches tall administration clerk has had the last laugh on male workmates who crack jokes about him ‘waving pompoms and wearing a rah-rah skirt’.
WEIGHT LOSS CHAMPION! Darren and his daughter Amy Jorja ( © Cavendish Press)
He said: ”The lads at work give me stick all the time, but I don’t care. I enjoy it. It’s fun plus there’s the health aspect too.
“I’ve lost three stone and I put a lot of that down to the cheerleading and eating healthier.
”In fact I am in the stunt group at Hunters so there’s no pom-pom waving. It’s definitely more manly. There are five of us doing various throwing, twisting and catching.
”Amy and I practise together at home a lot. It’s mainly me helping her with her stretching, balancing and tumbling. We’ll even practice when we’re on holiday.”
Darren started his hobby after taking his daughter Amy Jorja to cheerleading practice when she joined in 2011.
He would watch with pride as his little girl was tossed up into the air and taught to cheer.
Eventually Amy’s coach dragged Darren onto the mat to help out with catching the little ones. The father-of-two from Bolton enjoyed his new hobby so much he decided to join the senior team in January 2012 and began training three times a week.
The father-and-daughter pair even have matching training outfits and Darren ignores banter from his work friends and continues to wear his with pride.
Darren has also embraced a new healthy diet to make sure he is at the top of his game at competitions.
Darren, who has a wife Lauren, 30, and a 10-year-old son Mark, said: “Cheerleading is a great hobby and getting fit has been an added bonus.
“When I first started two years ago I was 17 and a half stone and I was really unfit. Amy’s coach Alicia dragged me onto the mat to help out with catching and throwing and I felt really out of breath afterwards. I was aching all over that was it – I got the bug.
“I am the only male on the team and the lads at work give me stick about it all the time, but I don’t care.
“I enjoy it. I’ve lost two stone over the last few months and I put a lot of that down to the cheerleading and eating healthier. I now weigh 14 stone 12lb, which is a healthy weight for my height.
“Cheerleading has inspired me to stop eating rubbish food and be more healthy so I can perform better at competitions.
And Darren says the skills he has acquired have been useful in encouraging his daughter to be at the top of her game.
He said: “Amy and I practise together at home a lot. It’s mainly me helping her with her stretching, balancing and tumbling.
“We even practice when we’re on holiday. It’s great to be able to get involved with her favourite hobby.”
Darren and Amy Jorja have competed at three competitions so far and are showing no signs of stopping.
Darren said: “At our last competition my stunt group came fourth and Amy’s junior team came second. It was such a good feeling to do so well and we want to continue to work hard to get to first place.”
”I’d definitely advise other men to get involved. It’s better than the gym. It’s not all about doing feminine moves like shaking your hips – it’s throwing and catching mainly.”
Hunters coach Alicia-Paris Fairclough said: ”Darren is a complete asset to our senior squad and plays a huge role within the team. He brings enthusiasm, a fantastic work ethic and, of course, immense strength.
”His daughter is in our youngest squad and his extensive knowledge in the stunts we do helps his daughter’s understanding and progression.”
Story and images via Cavendish Press
