With their arms locked and muscles tight, three cheerleaders worked together to lift their teammate high into the air. As the cheerleader balanced herself above the crowd, her teammates supported her from below, showing the strength, trust, and teamwork needed to perform the stunt safely.
Cheerleading is a sport that combines athletic ability and performance, requiring athletes to master difficult skills that are not often seen in other sports. The sport also requires physical abilities, especially when performing stunts.
“Cheer can be dangerous in both physical and mental aspects. Cheerleading includes performing difficult stunts and lifts that can lead to injuries,” senior cheer captain Irene Park said. “Flyers, which is the person in the air, can fall directly onto the floor, while cheerleading bases and backspots risk having a flyer fall on top of them,” Park said.
A cheer team must be mentally and physically prepared and strong, especially if a cheer member is the one being lifted and thrown in the air or if you are the cheer members who are doing the lifting.
“If you’re a flyer, you have to be mentally strong and have core strength,” senior cheerleader Tahani Rivera said. “Also you must make sure that you’re tight so that you don’t fall. The people in the bottom have to make sure that they are able to bring that person up and hold them up there,” Rivera adds.
Cheerleaders must have strong teamwork and cooperation skills to be successful. The fear of letting teammates down or getting injured can create anxiety and emotional strain, making cheerleading demanding on both the body and the mind.
“Cheer is extremely different from any other sport. It is one of the only sports that require extreme teamwork. We have to work together to lift & toss our teammates in the air, which requires a high level of trust & precision,” said Park.
To be a successful cheerleading team, members must have a great deal of trust in one another. Cheerleading can be dangerous if teammates do not trust each other, regardless of whether they are a flyer, base, or backspot.
“I’d say teamwork is one of the biggest things in cheer,” junior cheerleader Adelina Vuong said. “For every stunt group, there are four girls. Without teamwork, there’s no way it would work. If one person is off, the stunt isn’t going up cleanly, so teamwork needs to be a top priority,” Vuong adds.
Team chemistry is also extremely important because strong relationships lead to better teamwork and safer performances. Friendships are beneficial for sports teams because having strong relationships with teammates helps execute stunts properly. Many teams build close bonds with one another, which strengthens chemistry, teamwork, and trust.
“I think friendships are one of the most important things in cheer. To be a cheerleader, you 100% need a lot of trust,” Rivera said. “When we’re all friends, we’re able to have fun while also getting the practice we need and perfecting our stunts. It also makes practice more enjoyable, makes you want to be there, and helps you grow your love for the sport.”
Cheerleading is a sport because of the high level of stunts they demonstrate during their performances. Performing these stunts takes a lot of mental and physical practice, as well as courage.
“You must prepare yourself mentally to throw somebody in the air and to trust that your team mates will do their job and to know that you’re gonna do your job and that they’re gonna come down perfectly so that they’re not gonna hit you in the face with their arm or elbow or maybe fall right on top of you,” said Rivera. “It’s just, it’s a lot of getting over your fears.”
That fear becomes easier to manage when every member understands their role according to Park.
“Each person has an important role in stunts and routines, so everyone must work together and stay focused to keep each other safe,” Park said. “When we encourage each other & practice consistently, it helps the team perform stronger and build a positive, united environment.”
