On January 8, Netflix released its six-episode docuseries following Navarro College Cheer. This series shows exactly what competition cheer is.
Most people know cheer as sideline football or basketball cheer. They think all cheerleaders do is clap their hands on the sideline cheering for school teams. This is so not true.
Cheer has evolved into this massive industry. Cheer now has so many different aspects to it. There is competitive cheer, collegiate cheer, and Pop Warner cheer.
Navarro Cheer is a collegiate national team. They compete at the collegiate national competition while still cheering for their college sports teams.
"CHEER" shows real-life college students and their struggles throughout life and how they have handled their struggles to get them to college at Navarro.
This series shows just how tough it is to be a cheerleader. The practices are hard and demanding on the body. Injuries occur frequently and often time these athletes have to fight through the pain in order to keep their spots on the team.
Cheerleaders are strong athletes. The sport requires them to push their bodies in different ways that do not even seem possible. These athletes do this all while staying on top of their school work.
"CHEER" even went into detail about the individual athletes that are on the team and the struggles they have had to endure throughout their life.
The story of Jerry Harris was the most memorable to me because I had the honor to cheer on a team with him about four years ago.
Jerry grew up in the cheer world. Cheer was his home and where he had always felt most comfortable being his true self. Jerry was the type of teammate everybody wanted on their team. He is one of the best people who is always motivating others to do better and be better.
He is overall just an amazing person. Jerry's story went on to share how his mom passed away from cancer in the midst of his cheer season. He then still proceeded to compete that exact day she passed away. The entire arena cheered him on that day he went out on the floor. He said he knew it is where his mom would have wanted him to be.
Athletes like Jerry exist every day. They endure real-life struggles and are outstanding people who push past their own struggles to help their teammates despite having their own.
Cheerleaders like Jerry are what make the sport of cheerleader so special. People around the world went on to support Jerry on social media and in his Go Fund Me even despite the fact that they did not know him personally.
Cheerleading is a powerful sport because it involves so many talented people from all different kinds of backgrounds. Jerry's story is just one of the many backgrounds shared on the Netflix series.
So many other athletes' lives are shown that are coming from rough home lives or being judged by their family because they do not fit the mold of being a male. So many of these stories shared are real-life truths that athletes everywhere, not just cheerleaders, face. These athletes are so strong for fighting past their struggles to go on and do some amazing things.
"CHEER" on Netflix has so many layers that make it so inspiring to watch. The stories of these athletes are crazy and heartwarming while also being so raw and authentic.
This show is not meant just for cheerleaders to watch because it's great for all audiences and can teach everyone that it's OK to be human.
