When people think of cheerleaders, the first characteristic they think of is "peppy." I understand why they jump to peppy, though. The only thing the crowd sees is when cheerleaders are standing in front of them, dressed in full uniform, hair pulled back with a bow, and a smile on their face. We’re cheering at you, getting you pumped up for the game. What the crowd doesn’t see, though, is what it we go through to be able to do what we do on game days. Cheerleaders are more than just peppy. We’re:
1. Strong
Cheerleaders are strong--mentally and physically--because we have to be. Physically, because we throw girls into the air. We also hold them in the air for extended periods of time. At practice, we use every muscle in our bodies to be able to do what we do on game days and during performances. Mentally, because not everything hits perfectly on the first try. Sometimes, it’s discouraging when you try to hit a stunt or synchronize a routine and it won’t hit no matter how many times you try. However, we get past it; we have to get past it.
2. Team Players
In order to hit a stunt, or perfect a routine, there has to be trust between a stunt group and a team. If one cheerleader is not willing to work hard at practice, or put in extra time if need be, whatever they are trying to perfect will not go right. Cheerleaders have to work together and work as a team to accomplish a common goal. If we don’t work as a team, that is when someone gets hurt.
3. Dependable
Cheerleaders have to be dependable because so many people are counting on them. Their stunt group is counting on them, their team is counting on them, and the crowd is counting on them. If a cheerleader is a base or a back, their flyer is counting them to keep her in the air and to catch her. If the cheerleader is a flyer, her bases are counting on her to keep her body tight and help them get her up in the air and keep her there. The team is counting on each and every cheerleader to come to practice prepared, on time, and willing to try their best to make sure everything hits. If it doesn’t hit, the groups trying to perfect a stunt depend on the other cheerleaders to act as spotters to make sure no one gets hurt. The crowd is depending on cheerleaders to keep them pumped up and interested in the game going on in front of them.
4. Supportive
One of our jobs as cheerleaders is to support the athletes playing in the games we’re cheering for. Before that, our job is to support each other at practice and outside of practice. We spot and encourage each other if one stunt isn’t working. We offer advice and insight that might get that one stunt to hit, or to help a cheerleader who isn’t quite getting the counts for the routine. Outside of practice, we support each other with classes or whatever problem we might be encountering. We’re supportive outside of practice because we care about each other; we’re a family.
5. Dedicated
Cheerleading takes a lot of dedication. We put our blood, sweat and a lot of tears into what the crowd sees on game day. In order to do that, we have to be dedicated. That means, showing up to practice on time, or even early. We have to put everything we can into practice, and doing everything full-out. That means that we can’t half-ass anything. We have to be dedicated enough to not give up, to persevere when we can’t get something right. Dedication means we have to be willing to make extra practices when we have a big game or performance coming up. We have to be dedicated enough to stand on the sidelines, rain or shine, hot weather or cold.
You might think we’re peppy, and we are most of the time. However, spectators need to know we are a lot more than that. They should know a cheerleader is someone who is strong, dependable, supportive, dedicated, and willing to put the team’s need ahead of their own. Those things count a lot more than pep.
