The lure of free food changed Jonah Ah Mook Sang’s life.

Three years ago when he was a freshman at ‘Iolani, Ah Mook Sang and four of his friends saw a sign announcing cheerleading tryouts and that free food would be served. The proverbial light bulb went off.

"Why not go check it out, we thought," Ah Mook Sang, now a senior captain on the Raiders cheerleading team, said after practice Saturday. "We went and made a pact that if one person stayed, we would all stay."

That idea worked out, somewhat. Ah Mook Sang and two others joined the team as freshmen and cheered all year. Two others dropped out quickly when they realized it wasn’t for them.

But the real decision came when Ah Mook Sang was a sophomore. The other two boys who cheered as freshmen did not want to continue.

"I was on the verge of leaving," he said.

He decided to stay, and judging by the happiness cheerleading has given him, it was probably the best decision Ah Mook Sang has made in his young life. It has given him direction. He is thinking about cheering in college and coaching some day, and is in the process of lining up a summer job working at Universal Cheerleaders Association camps.

Had he left the sport, he would not have become part of ‘Iolani’s first Interscholastic League of Honolulu championship season, along with seven Raiders teammates who will now be taking the next step, trying to capture the Zippy’s/HHSAA Cheerleading State Championships on Saturday at Blaisdell Arena.

That team aspect is all-important at ‘Iolani, and Ah Mook Sang talked about how thrilling it was to see the squad come together with determination.

"I was not expecting this much," he said. "Before the season started, I was thinking it would just be another season. I did not know how special it would be. We got so close. We bonded. We pushed ourselves to get the skills we needed. Everyone was saying ‘I’ll try this’ instead of being scared to try something new."

Coach Barbara Hamocon, who has been with ‘Iolani for 11 of her 23 years as a coach, expounded on that idea.

"We have always had a high skill level," she said. "The kids this year were probably more hungry. We’ve had that similar (passion for achievement) in years past, too, but this year, it just clicked."

The eight Raiders competitors are down to seven. One athlete suffered a concussion and will miss states.

According to Hamocon, one word will make or break ‘Iolani — execution.

"They are out there for two and a half minutes and there is really no margin for error," she said. "They are capable of doing it — now it’s a matter of executing it."

Ah Mook Sang, who is from Aina Haina, played a little tennis, but did not have a cheerleading or gymnastics background before coming to ‘Iolani.

"I knew nothing about cheerleading," he said. "I could do a cartwheel, I guess."

So far, the most rewarding thing about the sport for Ah Mook Sang has been his participation on the Island Elite all-star team, when he and his team made trips to Disney World and Las Vegas.

"If I had a chance to go back to that I would," he said, "even though the work we put in was back-breaking and made me feel like I was dying. I don’t regret doing it. But my parents want me to concentrate on schoolwork. I was doing double practices, 4-6 p.m. at ‘Iolani and 7-9 at Island Elite. And it was year-round."

Hamocon is proud to have Ah Mook Sang as her first boy captain and she appreciates his hard work.

"The kids liked him so much that they voted him in," she said.

After Saturday’s practice, she pointed him out from afar for the interview: "The sweaty, stinky one in the blue T-shirt."

Shortly after the interview, Ah Mook Sang left the gym and returned with his arm iced up.

"He gave blood today and now he’s got a hematoma," Hamocon said. "He didn’t tell us he gave blood because if he did I wouldn’t have let him practice."

"I’m OK," Ah Mook Sang pronounced.

Three of Hamocon’s assistants are former Raiders, and they’ve also found successful careers — Dr. Kyla Teramoto, Kapua Kailio (a school counselor) and Melissa Lee (a school teacher). In addition, Hamocon coached at Punahou for two years, and one of her student-athletes there, Taylor Wong, is now the Buffanblu head coach.

"The impression we like to give is that it’s about attitude, attendance and ability," she said. "We want them to have a good time. It’s not all about cheerleading. It’s about lessons in life and becoming productive citizens."

Ah Mook Sang is one of those shining examples. Maybe he will come back as an ‘Iolani assistant some day.