Personally,I'm not seeing what's so difficult to believe about what yjgfn's saying.I'll always give someone the benefit of the doubt unless they've proven over and over they're full of it.
Just from my personal experience,I did drama in high school(never got called a 'drama fag' though)and it was a very tight group with sort of a clubby atmosphere between us.Yes,there was tickling,flirting,etc.So,I don't see why cheerleading would be any different.