Opinions and Safety on Cheerleading?By: Manuel Colorado

There are many precautions that cheerleaders must do to ensure that they are safe and avoid injuries. While cheer can be an incredibly fun sport, it is also a very hazardous and can cause many injuries. While cheerleaders help with the football games, they can be unrecognized and sometimes underrated. Jolie Hollings, a sophomore, and cheerleader at Hillgrove High School stated, “I think sometimes, like, the student’s section is more hype about just being there and socializing than actually watching.” While students typically go to football games to socialize with their peers the cheerleaders tend to get overlooked while some pay attention to the cheerleaders. While being a cheerleader can be fun, it can also be very tiring when people do not pay attention. Jolie stated, “I think a lot more hands on with, like, our cheers, saying them in the crowd, and like cheering us on more when we do stunts.” While some students don’t typically cheer on the cheerleaders, some tend to be incredibly happy to be cheering for the cheerleaders. While cheerleaders do an exceptionally excellent job at cheering, some people think otherwise. Jolie stated, “I think cheerleaders do a good job because of the hours they put in at practice, and then show it off that people go to games.” Cheerleaders tend to practice for hours on end just to get prepared for a game. According to marlborocheer.org “Practices can be 2-3 hours long and as often as 2-3 times a week. These practices are usually mandatory since many elements of a routine cannot be done without everyone there. In addition, we require tumbling sessions or other private sessions to improve skills.”

While being in cheer can be fun, it can also cause serious injuries. Coach Adams, a cheer coach at Hillgrove High School states, “So cheer can be dangerous if you don't put in the proper effort to have good technique, you are lifting athletes, and you are also tumbling and flipping your body over. So, technique and the safety that goes with it is extremely important.” When you are doing stunts, they look very artistic, they can be extremely dangerous. While being a cheer leader can be fun the most important thing to have been a good, qualified coach. According to nationwidechilderns.org “A safe program has direct adult supervision, correct conditioning, skills training, and warm-up exercises. Coaches should be trained in risk management, as well as basic first aid and CPR/AED training. Concussion protocols should always be followed.” Coach Adams stated, “It's especially important to have a good, qualified coach because there is so many safety precautions that need to be put into place when teaching skills or doing skills for the first time. Like I said, you're lifting athletes, you know, five or six feet off the air or even higher. So, it's important that you have trained coaches to help keep those athletes safe.” Having a good, qualified coach is the number one thing to ensure safety for the cheerleaders. Having many precautions as a cheerleader is incredibly good to have, there can never be too much safety for cheerleaders. Coach Adams stated, “Cheerleaders could be safer by following coaches, technique, suggestions, perfection of the progressions before you try skills that are more difficult, and just really focusing on the. How to do things every single time, making every rep count.” Cheer leaders work extremely hard some can work too hard and cause bodily harm to themselves. Typical cheerleaders are very mature and know what to do or what not to do. However, is always important to a coach watch over the practices. Coach Adams stated, “So we should always be watching over the practice because we want to make sure athletes don't do anything they're not supposed to do. Sometimes athletes can pressure other athletes to perform certain skills for fun. And and with coaches there, you're able to prevent that from happening.”  It is always important for a cheer coach to be present and watch over the cheer leaders.

While cheering it is important to have good spotter but sometimes a bad spotter can lead to a bad injury. Laya Terrill a sophomore, cheerleader at Hillgrove High School stated, “if they don't know what they're doing that's very dangerous for the whole stunt, because it could collapse to the floor, which has caused many concussions, or people getting paralyzed.” While doing stunts a bad spotter will cause cheerleaders to have even more injuries. While tumbling as a cheerleader is a very cool trick to have, they can cause major injury. According to getpomi.com “Muscle strains are common due to sudden stress and mostly impact the back, hips, and groin. When these young cheerleading athletes make sudden, forceful movements, the muscles pull and twist in unnatural ways.” Laya stated, “so your muscles don't get overused and become weak.” While tumbling your muscles go weak you could lose balance and land in any dangerous position. During a cheer practice cheerleaders need and open space to practice. Laya stated, “because when tumbling, you can be coming from any direction at a really strong force and speed that if someone is in your way, they could get knocked out.” When in a small area cheer practice could become extremely dangerous. While cheering cheerleaders should never wear jewelry. “Because it can get snagged, or someone's finger can get caught in an earring hoop, or it can get ripped off.” Wearing jewelry while practicing can cause injuries to your wrist, ears, and neck.