Sunday, May 26, 2013
Carley Dewitt, Staff Writer
May 24, 2012
Filed under Sports
There are many dangers and difficulties that cheerleaders around the nation face. Even though it is as risky as any other sport, people don’t consider it as one.
Cheerleading is often questioned, so some girls at Lakeview Centennial High School want to share their experiences and opinions on the sport they call cheerleading.
“We work hard,” sophomore JV cheer captain, Amanda Young continued, “Plus it’s all year round.”
Unlike football, soccer, and basketball, many people don’t perceive cheerleading as a sport. But after taking a look at the stunts and tricks these girls perform, there’s no doubt it’s just as difficult as any of the other activities.
“Other sports work hard to be the best,” sophomore and JV cheerleader Lexi Alaniz said. “Cheerleaders are no exception. We work just as hard as they do.”
With all of the dangerous stunts that cheerleaders preform they have to put in hours to perfect their routines. Ensuring not only a great show for the audience at games but a safe rountine for their team.
“We practice during school every ‘A’ day, and at least two days a week after school,” Amanda Young said. “Each after school practice lasts until 6, and during pep rally week, we have an extra after school practice. We practically live at the school.”
Starting from try outs cheerleaders are encouraged to perform various stunts and tumbling sequences, which only grow more complex once on the team. Tumbling includes flips with and without hands, or with a twist; while stunts can be one or two-legged, with arms connected in a pyramid or just single stunts.
Dr. Gail Rousseau, a neurological surgeon, stated that “cheerleading has changed drastically in the last 20 years. It has become a highly acrobatic sport.”
Statics have shown that 2/3 of severe sport injuries to female students are caused by cheerleading, 83% of those injuries occurring at practice. More than half of the injuries sustained were caused by stunting.
“Not too long ago, I received a broken nose when the flyer fell out of a stunt and I went to catch her,” Amanda Young said. “Her elbow hit me right on the top of the nose when she came down. I’ve also been injured while tumbling. I fell while doing a back tuck, and sprained my neck.”
When an accident first occurs, it’s important determine how bad the situation is, and from there decide what to do.Various things could go wrong like getting dropped in the wrong position or landing badly in a flip.
“While warming up stunts before a basketball game, we did a full down from an extension and the flyer fell on me,” sophomore Erin Young said. “I don’t even remember the impact, but just that I was on the ground with every one asking if I was okay. My coach though I might have whiplash, but when I visited the nurse, she said I was very close to spinal damage. I’m grateful that it was only a sprained neck.”
Cheerleaders have become paralyzed, and even died, from falling out of stunts or landing a flip the wrong way. Dr. Gail Rousseau continued later stating that “there needs to be greater awareness of the injury risks of cheerleading.”
With such danger learing at every corner it’s no wonder that these girls are determinded to get the message out that cheerleading isn’t something to underestimate.
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