Despite its reputation as a simple and frivolous activity, cheerleading is a very rigorous sport. Most people don’t realize the work that goes into cheerleading. There is a lot more effort involved than just going to the games and cheering. Before one can be on a cheerleading squad they must go through tryouts. There are two weeks of practice sessions held before the tryouts. The judging is based on five cheers, a cartwheel, the splits, a poster, and an essay. The cheers required are two sideline cheers, a group cheer, an individual cheer, and an original cheer. The judges add up the points and the top six scorers are the new squad. After tryouts the squad must begin raising money for camp and new uniforms.
Unlike most sports where the money is raised by the athletic association, cheerleading money must be raised almost entirely by the squad. Fundraisers involve a lot of work and they must be well-organized in order for them to be successful. The squad goes to camp usually around the first of August, which usually lasts for four days. Cheerleading camp, like football camp, is not meant for fun, but to get the squad in shape and learn new cheering techniques. The squad is taught many new cheers, mounts, exercises, and a pom-pon routine. After camp everyone goes home exhausted. The squad comes home with many new cheers to start off the season. Many practices are held to get ready for the new season.
Practice is held four days a week, two hours a day. The week of the first game is pretty hectic. Besides worrying about doing the cheers right, the squad has to plan a pep rally. Also, the posters must be made. The first pep rally is the most important one for the team and they want a good one. A lot of the students are anxious to see the new cheers the squad learned at camp and how well the squad cheers. There are always some students who will criticize the squad so you have to learn to take criticism. When the team is not doing well it is the cheerleaders job to keep team faith in the fans and this is not always very easy.
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A lot of fans instead of cheering for their team when they are are in trouble, get upset and cut their team down or yell at the referees, showing very bad sportsmanship. A cheerleader must set a good example to the fans by showing team spirit no matter how bad the team is doing. Sometimes it is very hard not to get mad at the team when they are not doing well, but cheerleaders are not supposed to show angry emotions. Many people think that cheerleading is easy, but it is hot. It may look that way, but it is not. People see a cheerleader as peppy and smiling, but the cheerleader does not always feel this way. You don’t always feel peppy and happy, but you are always supposed to look that way. It can be very hard when you are tired. In most sports you can sit down when you need a rest, but in cheerleading the only break you get is at half-time. Cheerleading, contrary to what most people beleive, involves a lot of time and effort, like any other sport. There is a lot more involved than just doing cheers which most people don’t know about. People see the fun part of cheerleading and don’t realize that there must be a lot more to it than that.
