http://www.nj.com/setonhall/index.s...he_flag_anthony_marotta_is_seton_halls_f.html
VIDEO
By Jeremy Schneider | NJ Advance Media For NJ.com
SOUTH ORANGE — Anthony Marotta remembers the countless times he looked over to the sideline and saw cheerleaders when he was playing football for St. Augustine Prep in Richland.
He never thought that he would one day join their ranks.
"I always looked at the cheerleaders when I came off the field for a break on the sideline, and was like, it's kind of cool," Marotta said. "But then when you actually do it, it's completely different. I never thought I'd be one."
Marotta isn't just any cheerleader for Seton Hall, though. The Washington Township native has the honor of being known as "Flagman," whose responsibilities include running laps around midcourt at Pirates basketball games while carrying a 25-foot flag pole with a massive Seton Hall flag attached.
Anthony Marotta, who is Seton Hall's Flagman, has to stay fit and be on top of his conditioning so he can carry the giant Seton Hall flag during men's basketball games. He never thought he'd be a cheerleader, but loves every aspect of it including being Flagman.
Once a game during a timeout from the action, Marotta runs onto the court with the flag and sees how many times he can circle around the dance team that have gathered on the Pirates logo. His record high is 15 laps, which he set back in December, but he's hoping to hit 21 by the time his senior year is over.
"It's pretty cool. Not many people can say they run around with a 25-foot pole at a basketball game and have at least 8,000 people cheering you on," Marotta said. "I'm all about school spirit, and nothing screams school spirit like running around with a 25-foot pole with a huge Pirate head attached to it and getting the crowd into it."
Marotta thought about playing football in college, but decided to hang up his cleats after suffering his fifth concussion as a senior at St. Augustine. He was looking to try new things as a freshman once he got to Seton Hall when he met Mike Mosca, who was Flagman at the time.
Mosca told him about what it was like being a Seton Hall cheerleader, and his interest was piqued. And when he told him about Flagman, he was even more intrigued.
"I was like, 'Well, I'm in college. I'm going to try something new.' So I asked to try out and I just stuck with it ever since," Marotta said. "I fell in love with it. It's very competitive for me and hitting a lot of stunts is very cool. But Flagman, (Mosca) was the Flagman and that was his third year. I knew I was the next guy up. So I knew after he graduated that it was me."
The flag and pole combined weigh about 50 pounds, but Marotta says it feels more like 90 when you're running with it. He underestimated how difficult it would be when he made his first run as a freshman. He made it seven laps that time, but was absolutely winded.
"It was very fascinating. It looks very deceiving. It doesn't look that heavy, but it actually is is very, very heavy. When he was running around with it freshman year, I was very confident in myself and very cocky to say the least."
Now a senior, Marotta took over as Flagman as a junior and it has shaped his Seton Hall experience. Being a cheerleader takes a large amount of athleticism and skill, and working out to get into shape is essential. But Marotta's Flagman duties require even more preparation. He is in the gym four to six times week running and lifting weights to get ready for his routines This regimen has seen him go from 160 pounds as a freshman to 180 pounds today as a senior.
Marotta didn't think of cheerleading as a sport before he came to Seton Hall — now he's convinced. And when he's occasionally mocked for being a male cheerleader, he never lets it bother him.
"I've had my fair share of some people making fun of me, but it's all fun and games," Marotta said. "At the end of the day, they can't do what I do and they can't do what every other male cheerleader can do."
The next step for Marotta will be graduate school at either Hofstra or Wilmington University, and he will be cheerleading wherever he ends up. He has a potential heir to pass the flag to, for whom he has a message.
"The flag's heavy. The flag, it's going to run you. And you better get in the gym," Marotta said. "Because if not, it's not going to be pretty."
VIDEO
By Jeremy Schneider | NJ Advance Media For NJ.com
SOUTH ORANGE — Anthony Marotta remembers the countless times he looked over to the sideline and saw cheerleaders when he was playing football for St. Augustine Prep in Richland.
He never thought that he would one day join their ranks.
"I always looked at the cheerleaders when I came off the field for a break on the sideline, and was like, it's kind of cool," Marotta said. "But then when you actually do it, it's completely different. I never thought I'd be one."
Marotta isn't just any cheerleader for Seton Hall, though. The Washington Township native has the honor of being known as "Flagman," whose responsibilities include running laps around midcourt at Pirates basketball games while carrying a 25-foot flag pole with a massive Seton Hall flag attached.
Anthony Marotta, who is Seton Hall's Flagman, has to stay fit and be on top of his conditioning so he can carry the giant Seton Hall flag during men's basketball games. He never thought he'd be a cheerleader, but loves every aspect of it including being Flagman.
Once a game during a timeout from the action, Marotta runs onto the court with the flag and sees how many times he can circle around the dance team that have gathered on the Pirates logo. His record high is 15 laps, which he set back in December, but he's hoping to hit 21 by the time his senior year is over.
"It's pretty cool. Not many people can say they run around with a 25-foot pole at a basketball game and have at least 8,000 people cheering you on," Marotta said. "I'm all about school spirit, and nothing screams school spirit like running around with a 25-foot pole with a huge Pirate head attached to it and getting the crowd into it."
Marotta thought about playing football in college, but decided to hang up his cleats after suffering his fifth concussion as a senior at St. Augustine. He was looking to try new things as a freshman once he got to Seton Hall when he met Mike Mosca, who was Flagman at the time.
Mosca told him about what it was like being a Seton Hall cheerleader, and his interest was piqued. And when he told him about Flagman, he was even more intrigued.
"I was like, 'Well, I'm in college. I'm going to try something new.' So I asked to try out and I just stuck with it ever since," Marotta said. "I fell in love with it. It's very competitive for me and hitting a lot of stunts is very cool. But Flagman, (Mosca) was the Flagman and that was his third year. I knew I was the next guy up. So I knew after he graduated that it was me."
The flag and pole combined weigh about 50 pounds, but Marotta says it feels more like 90 when you're running with it. He underestimated how difficult it would be when he made his first run as a freshman. He made it seven laps that time, but was absolutely winded.
"It was very fascinating. It looks very deceiving. It doesn't look that heavy, but it actually is is very, very heavy. When he was running around with it freshman year, I was very confident in myself and very cocky to say the least."
Now a senior, Marotta took over as Flagman as a junior and it has shaped his Seton Hall experience. Being a cheerleader takes a large amount of athleticism and skill, and working out to get into shape is essential. But Marotta's Flagman duties require even more preparation. He is in the gym four to six times week running and lifting weights to get ready for his routines This regimen has seen him go from 160 pounds as a freshman to 180 pounds today as a senior.
Marotta didn't think of cheerleading as a sport before he came to Seton Hall — now he's convinced. And when he's occasionally mocked for being a male cheerleader, he never lets it bother him.
"I've had my fair share of some people making fun of me, but it's all fun and games," Marotta said. "At the end of the day, they can't do what I do and they can't do what every other male cheerleader can do."
The next step for Marotta will be graduate school at either Hofstra or Wilmington University, and he will be cheerleading wherever he ends up. He has a potential heir to pass the flag to, for whom he has a message.
"The flag's heavy. The flag, it's going to run you. And you better get in the gym," Marotta said. "Because if not, it's not going to be pretty."
