Spartan of all trades: Debeer, coming off cheer title, stays busy in the sports world

BERNALILLO —  “There’s no harm in trying something.”

Every New Mexico high school football player dreams of hoisting a blue trophy.

For Bernalillo’s Dusty Debeer, that fantasy came true, but not on the turf in November, but rather on the mats of March.

“My girlfriend got me into it,” Debeer said. “I really wanted to learn how to do a backflip, and now this is my second year doing cheer.”

From wanting to replicate action movie stunts to officially joining the Bernalillo cheer squad, Debeer and the Spartans reached the mountain top with an A-4A co-ed cheer title at the 2026 state spirit championships at The Pit.

“Winning last weekend was great,” Debeer said. “The feeling of putting so much work into a goal and then achieving it is second to none. It’s not something you can describe.”

On the championship team, Debeer is one of the heavy lifters. In the co-ed division, it is up to the males on the roster to be key components of the routine, such as tossing up or holding up their teammates.

But if you ask the junior his role for the Spartans, he would give you a much more honest answer.

“I would say my role on the team is the joker. I’m the type of guy to mess around as much as possible and just have fun with whatever you’re doing,” Debeer said. “But when it’s time to get work done, I push everyone to perform.”

It’s this mentality that keeps a smile or laugh on DeBeer’s face, whether on the cheer mat or out on the football field, in the gym with Bernalillo’s powerlifting team or out on the track with the Runnin’ Spartans. But as he mentioned, it doesn’t mean he is taking the sport as a joke.

As a four-sport athlete, commitment is the name of the game.

“Doing powerlifting, track and cheer is not easy,” Debeer said. “Throw in working on the weekends, and you constantly have to stay on top of things and keep your priorities straight.”

It is this type of work ethic that earned the Bernalillo linebacker and tight end a second-team all-district nod this past football season, an honor he earned with high-level play just feet away from his winter teammates cheering on the sideline.

“I do see my cheer teammates (at football games),” Debeer said. “I may glance at the sideline at most, but I’m always locked in and focused on the game.”

Debeer isn’t even a senior yet but has more on his plate and agenda than some adults. His recipe for staying on track? Translating activities from one to another.

His cheer requirements leave him with a good “shoulder workout,” he says, also aiding him in the powerlifting department.

“It’s basically a hang clean,” Debeer said about his cheer tosses. “Tossing girls in the air definitely helps with explosiveness, and that helps with a lot of things in football, track and powerlifting.”

It would be easy to declutter his packed schedule and focus on one sport, especially at the high school level, with the prospect of college athletics in reach.

It has become more common for young student-athletes to play one sport around the clock. Transitioning from your fall to winter to spring sports has now turned into playing your fall sport through the seasons, thanks to options outside of playing for your school.

Debeer is bucking the trend.

“I honestly love keeping myself busy, and I believe doing other sports makes you a better athlete,” Debeer said. “It keeps you disciplined and healthy, and most importantly, you always have to stay in shape. I definitely would recommend it. You’re only in high school once; you might as well make it worthwhile and try everything you can.”