Meet Jerry Harris — Navarro College Cheerleader Winning Fans' Hearts On Netflix's 'Cheer' Docu-Series
Jerry has quickly become a fan favorite.
aceshot1 / shutterstock If you're already obsessed with Cheer on Netflix, you're not the only one. The docuseries has taken the streaming service by storm, and there are already a couple of clear breakout stars.
And although Gabi Butler has been famous in the cheer world for a long time, the show really put a spotlight on another Navarro College cheerleader, too: Jeremiah Harris, known as Jerry.
So who is Jerry Harris? Here's everything fans need to know about the cheerleader who's quickly becoming a fan favorite.
1. Who is Jerry Harris? He's a member of the Navarro College cheerleading team.
For the uninitiated, Cheer follows the Navarro College cheerleaders In Texas as their coach Monica Aldama continues to lead them to victory — and all the personal ups and downs along the way. Harris is one of the members of the team, and it certainly seems like cheer is one of his biggest passions.
Just looking at his Instagram, it's easy to see how much he dedicates himself to the team, and when he's not cheering with Navarro, he's also a member of other squads as well, including the Wildcats in Louisville.
2. He works with younger cheerleaders during the summer.
During the cheer off season, Harris works with different cheer camps and has shared his experiences online. In one Instagram post, he wrote about a team he helped during summer 2019, and how it helped him grow his own skills as a cheerleader.
'This team has made me think outside the box. With having multiple camps back and forth, you tend to use simplistic ideas to previous routines. I was pushed to deliver skills these kids could’ve possibly got hurt from and I’m very proud of my babies for pulling it off today!" Harris wrote.
3. Harris' backstory and positive attitude is what made Cheer producers interested in him.
In a recent interview, director Greg Whiteley explained that Harris' backstory and personality made him the perfect choice to follow on Cheer, especially since he really had to fight for his spot on the team.
“For us, Jerry’s backstory was so compelling and his personality is so endearing that it just became easy to say, ‘Well, regardless of where he ends up — on the mat or not — that’s a story worth telling. So let’s just do it,' Whiteley said.
4. Harris is beloved by fans on Twitter.
As fans watched Cheer for the first time, they took to Twitter to share their love for Harris, and that hasn't changed in the weeks since the docuseries premiered.
"Can we PLEASE start a program where Jerry travels to cheer gyms to spread his spirit & positivity to young athletes all over the country?" said one tweet, while another fan tweeted, "Watching #Cheer and I just want to be best friends with Jerry."
5. The cheer community rallied around him after his mother's death.
In 2016, Harris' mom, Lizzie Bowman, passed away after battling cancer. His mother's death was central to Harris' story on Cheer, and as it turns out, his community pulled together to raise money for him through GoFundMe when it first happened — a true testament to how much Harris and his family mean to people.
Years later, people are still donating, especially after the world had the chance to meet Harris on the show.
6. Harris is close with the other Navarro cheerleaders.
Not only is Harris beloved by Cheer fans and the people around him, but he's pretty popular with the other Navarro cheerleaders, too. And with how much everyone around him wants to help him succeed, it will definitely be fun to see what the future holds for such a positive force in the cheerleading community.
Nicole Pomarico is an entertainment and lifestyle writer whose work has appeared in Cosmo, Us Weekly, Refinery29, and more.