If teamwork had a shape, it would take the form of a cheerleading routine. Cheerleading allows every member to add to the team’s synergy and perform as one cohesive unit. The choreographed sport involves various elements that combine athletic and artistic talents in the squad. This results in a graceful balance of confidence and trust with the singular message: all for one, and one for all!
Cheerleading makes a great hobby, especially when pursued from a young age, as it diversifies our ways of expression. It encourages teamwork and helps the youth find a productive extracurricular activity. Cheerleaders develop a sense of sportsmanship and learn to thrive as a team, making each contribution count. The practiced routines enable self-discoveries that become a safe place for children, much like ballet or playing the piano, where they feel free to express themselves artistically.
Enrolling in cheerleading classes is the best way to grow with your talent. The purpose-built environments give a kick start to a healthy lifestyle and help you through professional training sessions.
Cheerleading programs
Cheerleading schools provide sessions to different athletic categories, mostly competitive and non-competitive teams.
The competitive programs are dedicated training sessions for those athletes who aim to pursue cheerleading as their main sport. Competitive routines are two and a half minutes long and include jumps, stunts, dances, pyramid sequences, and tumbling. Athletes progress through different levels to achieve their maximum potential and showcase their competitive streak. Time commitment is crucial, and athletes often travel during the competitive seasons.
The non-competitive programs are for novice athletes. These provide a fun way to dive into cheerleading as a leisure pursuit and allow cheerleaders to focus on other extracurricular activities as well. Novice programs are great to make new friends, build interpersonal skills, and experience the team adrenaline!
Types of cheerleaders
Cheerleading classes differ for each type of cheerleaders, namely scholastic, All Star, recreation, and pro.
Scholastic cheerleading forms the sports day aesthetic of our school memories, with the High School Musical movie series adding to all the nostalgia. Teams participate in tryouts leading up to the final sports day and cheer to raise the team spirit, with our favorite mascots stealing the spotlight.
All Star cheerleading classes are typically gym-based sessions that teach tumbling, stunts, and gymnastics. These elements are choreographed into competitive routines that highlight acrobatic and athletic skills. The US All Star Federation (USASF) sets the standards and guidelines to enrich the overall cheerleading experience. This includes certifying coaches and judges to make All Star sport a safe choice for athletes.
Recreation cheerleaders often cheer for their community’s non-profit organizations, such as welfare clubs and charities. This form of cheerleading is mostly for volunteering purposes to raise awareness and express solidarity.
Pro cheerleaders travel a lot for their performances. They have diverse opportunities in the entertainment industry to represent teams and showcase their athletic dance routines.
Cheerleading classes to enroll in
USA Cheer facilitates various programs for All Star club cheering, recreational cheer, scholastic cheer, as well as the emerging female sport of STUNT. Recognized by the International Cheer Union, the organization focuses on streamlined coaching with athlete safety as its primary objective.
USA Youth Fitness Center teaches cheerleading, gymnastics, tumbling, and a lot more with its state-of-the-art services. Professional coaches train the squads to optimize their coordination, flexibility, teamwork, and leadership – all of which become essential life skills to grow up with. The organization provides Cheer Rec as well as All Star Prep classes, which follow the USASF guidelines for athlete safety.
Varsity Spirit is the global leader in cheerleading routines, performance apparel, camps, and competitions. With trailblazing opportunities to mark their experiences, cheerleaders can enroll in All Star and Youth/Rec programs. Varsity University also delivers specialized training and seminars to allow gym coaches and instructors to maximize student potential.
Special cheers
Most organizations like USA Cheer and Peak Athletics have designed programs for athletes with special needs. Safety guidelines, ergonomic environments, and qualified coaches ensure that the cheerleaders are always safe and continue to shine in their athletic individuality. Teams have various drill stations and practices that help them refine their tumbling, dancing, and stunting sequences.
Cheerleading during COVID-19
Safety rules have inevitably expanded to include preventive measures against the coronavirus. Socially-distanced cheerleading with masks has become quite common to improvise with contact-free routines, which means that stunts are no longer part of the cheerleading spirit.
With most of the world slowly warming up to virtual alternatives, classes have also followed the online trail. This has helped to bridge a lot of gaps in cheerleading as well, allowing teams to connect and continue learning or practicing from their homes.
Cheer Conditioning Academy is a comprehensive platform for online workouts and cheer training. Recognized by the United States Centre for Coaching Excellence (USCCE), the academy has revolutionized instruction and proactive training for its members. With top-notch endorsements from industry experts, Cheer Conditioning Academy is a great choice to help you smash the glass ceiling – albeit virtually!
Innovation Cheer is another online platform for cheer and tumbling classes. The coaches provide techniques and practices that can be done at home. These live Zoom classes allow students in the gym to connect with those behind the screens for a creative collaboration. The virtual aspects cover jumps, flyer class, conditioning, and flexibility. Furthermore, structured warm-up sessions make sure that virtual athletes stay active and fit for every class.
Take Lessons includes an online cheerleading portal for interested athletes to get customized, live lessons. Cheer coaches offer constructive feedback and help the students with follow-up videos for practice. Such personalized instruction caters to the students’ individual strengths and weaknesses, helping them adapt to the collective power of teamwork.
And the pom-pom goes to……
Whether you enjoy it as a leisure pursuit or aim for a professional league, cheerleading is a dynamic sport that inspires self-confidence and determination. When cheerleaders move in their athletic synchronization, they make the performance seem effortless. When the flyer reaches the top of a cheer pyramid, the vantage point makes the best metaphor for a promising, optimistic future ahead.
The classes that you choose depend on your context for cheerleading. Are you preparing for a school event? Are you competing as an athlete? Do you want somewhere to finally begin? There are often exciting packages to benefit from, and the organizations listed above strive to make your learning experience tailored to your needs. Virtual cheer classes have a way to make lockdowns and quarantines at home a bit more …. cheerful. They are a simple reminder that there is always something to cheer for!
