September 26, 2019 at 11:59PM
GRAPE CREEK — This Grape Creek seventh-grader is breaking gender stereotypes for athletes.
Braydon "Budah" Schkade, 12, is a cheerleader and football player for the Eagles.
He plays football in the seventh-grade grade game as a starting linebacker and wide receiver. Afterward, he rushes to change into his uniform to cheer in the eighth-grade game.
Buy Photo Braydon Schkade, left, cheers for Grape Creek during a game Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019. (Photo: Colin Murphey / San Angelo Standard-Times)
"I've always had a passion for both, and I'm glad I have the opportunity to do this," Schkade said. "It's going to be hard, but i'm definitely going to stick with it."
Schkade also participates in gymnastics, tumbling and competitive cheer with the Texas Tumbleweeds as a Level 3 All-Star.
He also made the All American Cheer Team at the Universal Cheer Association camp this summer. With this honor, he gets to travel to Orlando, Florida, to be in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade this year.
Grape Creek Middle School principal Tim Jetton said having a student try to participate in football and cheerleading was a unique situation that the school district wanted to help accommodate.
Buy Photo Grape Creek's Braydon Schkade, right, grapples with an opponent during a game Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019. (Photo: Colin Murphey / San Angelo Standard-Times)
"Common sense dictates that he should be able to do both," Jetton said. "I think going forward, even when he's in high school, if he's on JV then he can cheer in the varsity games, and when he's on varsity he can cheer in JV games. There will always be an opportunity for him to do both"
Jetton said they have girls who play volleyball and cheer, and now they have boys who can play football and cheer.
"It works out really well for everybody," Jetton said.
Jetton said he has spoken with people from around the state, and no one has heard of a student participating in football and cheerleading.
Buy Photo Braydon Schkade, left, shares a high five with a cheerleader during a game Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019. (Photo: Colin Murphey / San Angelo Standard-Times)
"There not many kids around here that can do that," Grape Creek seventh-grade football coach Josh Seale said. "I promise you, he will be one of very few."
Seale said Schkade's dad asked him one day if it would be an issue for his son to do both, and Seale didn't see it being a problem.
Buy Photo Braydon Schkade, right, performs a tumbling run during the halftime show at Grape Creek on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019. (Photo: Colin Murphey / San Angelo Standard-Times)
"We don't want to limit our students and make them choose," Seale said. "He's in seventh grade and trying to figure out where he wants to go. Plus, I don't worry about Budah. he's always going to show up and give his best."
Seale said he believes cheer and gymnastics are good for football players.
"It helps with their foot work and agility," Seale said. "Doing cheer adds a different element to the athleticism he already has."
Seale says he doesn't worry about the injuries that might happen from Schkade doing two sports at once.
Buy Photo Braydon Schkade's parents, Regina and Bandy Watkins, cheer him on from the stands during a game Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019 (Photo: Colin Murphey / San Angelo Standard-Times)
"Injuries are going to happen. Hhe can be walking to the fridge to grab a snack and roll his ankle," Seale said "You just have to put that out of your mind because if you worry about little things like that, you're going to hinder the kids in anything they do."
Brittany Clark, head cheer coach, said Schkade is a great student and athlete.
"He gets along with everyone on the team," Clark said. "The girls love him and he adds so much to our squad. He's really breaking barriers in gender stereotypes by doing both sports."
Both of his coaches and principal said they are proud of him and commend his work ethic.
"It takes a lot of effort to do what he's doing," Jetton said. "He's going to be one in-shape guy."
His brother, Bryce, also said he is proud of his little brother's achievements.
Buy Photo Grape Creek's Braydon Schkade checks to make sure he is at the line of scrimmage during a game Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019. (Photo: Colin Murphey / San Angelo Standard-Times)
"I think it's incredibly brave what he's doing," Bryce said. "It will help him a lot in future events and jobs. I believe that he is amazing for doing this."
Braydon also plans on participating in track, basketball and UIL academics this school year.
GRAPE CREEK — This Grape Creek seventh-grader is breaking gender stereotypes for athletes.
Braydon "Budah" Schkade, 12, is a cheerleader and football player for the Eagles.
He plays football in the seventh-grade grade game as a starting linebacker and wide receiver. Afterward, he rushes to change into his uniform to cheer in the eighth-grade game.
Buy Photo Braydon Schkade, left, cheers for Grape Creek during a game Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019. (Photo: Colin Murphey / San Angelo Standard-Times)
"I've always had a passion for both, and I'm glad I have the opportunity to do this," Schkade said. "It's going to be hard, but i'm definitely going to stick with it."
Schkade also participates in gymnastics, tumbling and competitive cheer with the Texas Tumbleweeds as a Level 3 All-Star.
He also made the All American Cheer Team at the Universal Cheer Association camp this summer. With this honor, he gets to travel to Orlando, Florida, to be in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade this year.
Grape Creek Middle School principal Tim Jetton said having a student try to participate in football and cheerleading was a unique situation that the school district wanted to help accommodate.
Buy Photo Grape Creek's Braydon Schkade, right, grapples with an opponent during a game Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019. (Photo: Colin Murphey / San Angelo Standard-Times)
"Common sense dictates that he should be able to do both," Jetton said. "I think going forward, even when he's in high school, if he's on JV then he can cheer in the varsity games, and when he's on varsity he can cheer in JV games. There will always be an opportunity for him to do both"
Jetton said they have girls who play volleyball and cheer, and now they have boys who can play football and cheer.
"It works out really well for everybody," Jetton said.
Jetton said he has spoken with people from around the state, and no one has heard of a student participating in football and cheerleading.
Buy Photo Braydon Schkade, left, shares a high five with a cheerleader during a game Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019. (Photo: Colin Murphey / San Angelo Standard-Times)
"There not many kids around here that can do that," Grape Creek seventh-grade football coach Josh Seale said. "I promise you, he will be one of very few."
Seale said Schkade's dad asked him one day if it would be an issue for his son to do both, and Seale didn't see it being a problem.
Buy Photo Braydon Schkade, right, performs a tumbling run during the halftime show at Grape Creek on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019. (Photo: Colin Murphey / San Angelo Standard-Times)
"We don't want to limit our students and make them choose," Seale said. "He's in seventh grade and trying to figure out where he wants to go. Plus, I don't worry about Budah. he's always going to show up and give his best."
Seale said he believes cheer and gymnastics are good for football players.
"It helps with their foot work and agility," Seale said. "Doing cheer adds a different element to the athleticism he already has."
Seale says he doesn't worry about the injuries that might happen from Schkade doing two sports at once.
Buy Photo Braydon Schkade's parents, Regina and Bandy Watkins, cheer him on from the stands during a game Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019 (Photo: Colin Murphey / San Angelo Standard-Times)
"Injuries are going to happen. Hhe can be walking to the fridge to grab a snack and roll his ankle," Seale said "You just have to put that out of your mind because if you worry about little things like that, you're going to hinder the kids in anything they do."
Brittany Clark, head cheer coach, said Schkade is a great student and athlete.
"He gets along with everyone on the team," Clark said. "The girls love him and he adds so much to our squad. He's really breaking barriers in gender stereotypes by doing both sports."
Both of his coaches and principal said they are proud of him and commend his work ethic.
"It takes a lot of effort to do what he's doing," Jetton said. "He's going to be one in-shape guy."
His brother, Bryce, also said he is proud of his little brother's achievements.
Buy Photo Grape Creek's Braydon Schkade checks to make sure he is at the line of scrimmage during a game Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019. (Photo: Colin Murphey / San Angelo Standard-Times)
"I think it's incredibly brave what he's doing," Bryce said. "It will help him a lot in future events and jobs. I believe that he is amazing for doing this."
Braydon also plans on participating in track, basketball and UIL academics this school year.