Maybe you've heard about or have seen a competitive cheerleading show on TV. It can look deceptively easy as each of the cheerleader's jump, tumble, and split in the air, but what you don't know is the sacrifice each and everyone on the team makes, especially on the time they put in their training and practices.
What is competitive cheerleading?
Cheerleading is considered to be competitive when cheer squads compete with each other.
A cheerleading competition would usually involve roughly a two and a half minute routine of stunts, tumbling, and jumps. A panel of cheerleading experts judges each team based on the difficulty and execution of the routine.
All types of cheerleading teams can compete, but not all school-based teams are competitive. All-star cheerleading squads, on the other hand, are solely for competitions. They are not connected with any school, hence, their routine is purely entertainment and music without any cheering.
While cheerleading started out with a group of men cheering on the sidelines of a football game in an organized manner, competition for cheerleading has become a well-respected sport.
How to be a competitive cheerleader?
Just like any sport, not everyone is cut out to be a cheerleader. It is a strenuous sport that requires training even before you join an all-star team. These are just some of a few other things an aspiring competitive cheerleader must have:
- Confidence: Cheerleaders must exude confidence in every performance. If they feel like they own the stage and they will not fail, the audience will believe it.
- Upper body strength and physical conditioning: Upper body strength is a must. Cheerleaders must also be in good physical condition. A cheerleader who does not have a good upper body strength or good physical condition will not be able to perform stunts well, especially when they need to do some lifting.
- Sportsmanship, determination, and commitment: Select Athletics notes that competitive cheerleading is a team effort and requires rigorous daily practice. And even if it's off season, the team must still attend practice for conditioning.
If you are convinced that you will make a really good competitive cheerleader, you can visit an all star gym near you and try out.