The Sport and Art of Cheerleading By Austria Cohn
Cheerleading tends to be written off as a female, after-school activity that some don’t even consider a sport. Yet, tumbling, stunting, pyramids, and other moves commonly seen in cheer routines take mental and physical strength. Cheerleading is not just putting on a colorful, bedazzled outfit–there is hard work and team dynamics that are necessary to safely perform these acrobatic stunts. Here are some of the top things you need to know about cheer. Team Bonding For all sports, team bonding is an essential element in order to have a uniform and successful team where each player can count on their teammates and coach. It is vital for a cheer team to have great communication and to trust one another, not just because it makes the routines run smoothly but because it keeps the cheerleaders safe. The owner and director of Baton Rouge Cheer Academy, Shawn Lagarde, does team-building
activities with the students so they can bond, learn about each other, and ultimately trust everyone on the team. “With them being able to work together and do something as a group, it builds that bond and trust between the athletes. It’s very important that they do that,” Lagarde says. “They want to be able to trust who they are working with because they’re doing stunts and tricks in the air. They have to feel comfortable with the person that’s throwing them in the air.” Health and Concussions Even with cheer teams that can count on every player, injuries still can occur. Safety is another essential element of this dynamic and challenging sport. According to a study published by The American Academy of Pediatrics, football was the leading sport of concussions during practice in 2019, but
cheerleading was second and beat out several sports, including basketball, hockey, and soccer. Lagarde says it’s just like another contact sport; there’s safety training involved for coaches and the cheerleaders. The coaches at Baton Rouge Cheer Academy focus on properly teaching athletes the correct way to “spot” and safety measures they can take to prevent concussions and other injuries. More than half of the injuries seen in cheerleading are sprains and strains, but according to Athletico Physical Therapy, concussions account for 31.1 percent of injuries. “You may be thinking this high rate of concussions would be from cheerleaders falling and landing on their heads. However, the cheerleading position that suffers the most concussions are the bases, and athletes who support the flyers in the air by holding them up and catching them,” states Athletico Physical Therapy. Skills Learned
16 SEPTEMBER 2023 | NOLAFAMILY.COM
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