Cheerleading prepares one for life!

Cheerleaders face a unique set of challenges when it comes to balancing their studies with their athletic commitments. As a student-athlete, they must work to excel in both their academic and athletic pursuits, while also making time for social and personal activities. This can be difficult, as it requires careful management of time and prioritization of tasks. Cheerleaders possess many transferable skills, a few of which are leadership, teamwork, work ethic and study skills. 
 
At the heart of the student-athlete balance is time management. Cheerleaders must be able to plan and organize their schedules to fit in both their academic and athletic commitments. This requires them to prioritize tasks and use their time efficiently to complete both. By managing their time effectively, cheerleaders can reach their potential in both their studies and their sport. 
 
In addition to time management, cheerleaders must also learn how to juggle their commitments and maintain a healthy lifestyle. This includes balancing their academic and athletic commitments with other activities such as socializing and leisure activities. Additionally, student-athletes must be aware of how their physical and mental health can affect their performance. A healthy lifestyle is essential for success in both academics and athletics, and cheerleaders must be able to manage their physical and mental wellbeing. 
 
The skills that cheerleaders learn through their balance of academics and athletics are highly transferable to their future careers. For example, they learn the importance of time management and how to prioritize tasks. Additionally, they learn how to juggle different commitments and maintain a healthy lifestyle. These skills are highly valuable in any career, as they allow an individual to work efficiently and effectively.  Further, cheerleaders learn about the importance of teamwork and being a good teammate. They know how important it is to work cohesively in order to reach a goal. This allows former cheerleaders to effectively support colleagues which will utilize their support in return. It also puts them in position for promotions as superiors will see how well they effectively work.

There are so many valuable life lessons and skills cheerleaders learn via sport participation. To name more than a few, there’s commitment, dedication, resilience, perseverance, teamwork, leadership, coachability, time management, effective communication and the ability to perform in high-pressure situations. Life balance requirements for student-athletes are demanding, as they must juggle rigorous training schedules with academic responsibilities. This balancing act instills time management, discipline, and resilience—transferable skills that can significantly benefit their future careers. I imagine a lot of fellow former cheerleaders resonate with the value and challenges that come with being a part of their team  - please comment down below.

 

Pros of Sideline & Allstar Cheer: The Great Controversy

 

Sideline Cheer Pros:

1. Tumbling on a flat/dead mat - if a cheerleader can only perform a tumbling pass on a spring floor, then he/she/they do not have that tumbling pass just yet. If they have that tumbling pass on a dead mat, then they have that pass everywhere, on all types of surfaces.

For example, if someone says that they have a back tuck on a trampoline, they wouldn't say "I have a back tuck" as one of their tumbling skills. 

2. Game day presence! Clean and simple. Original and authentic cheer, no crazy hairstyles, themes or intense performance makeup. TV ready for a game. Here to support the team and encourage the crowd to do the same. For example - College Game Day and the happiness and excitement you see on ESPN/TV while watching a game. 

3. Friday Night Lights. Nothing like cheering in front of your whole hometown and school and feeding off of that electric energy of the crowd, fans and family.

4. Teamwork - participation in school activities, Homecoming parades, etc. locker decorations.

5. Better stunt technique (possibly due to the stunt rubric in all star cheerleading, where it limits a team. As long as they perform it well enough and it scores in that range on the rubric, it is fine. In sideline cheer, there's no UCA or NCA, etc rubric, so the stunt technique has to be the best in order to win  in a competition.

 

All Star Cheer Pros:

1. Advanced stunts such as baskets/double downs/etc.

2. Choreography of a routine and cleaning it up over the course of a year until it is perfect to perform. 

3. Athleticism and high stamina on an elevated level.

4. The competitive drive, which transfers to life skills. You want more, so you practice the skills more to improve and move up to the next level.

5. Working with athletes from various schools and socioeconomic levels. 

 

Both prepare a cheerleader for LIFE SKILLS!