Beyond the pom-poms and smiles of cheerleading is a world of rigorous training. With 10+ hours a week dedicated to practice year-round, gravity-defying stunts, and a high risk of injury, cheerleading is more demanding than most high school sports in America.
According to the New York Times, in the past 40 years, the number of injuries caused by cheerleading is greater than those caused by all other female sports combined.
Despite this, LHS Spirit Squad is technically classified as a club. Unlike other clubs at LHS, from 8-11 am May to July, the LHS spirit squad practices every day. They perfect stunts, learn routines, and spend an hour weightlifting.
Like other high school sports, athletes can earn scholarships and tuition discounts for cheerleading at the collegiate level.
Some believe that cheerleading should not be considered a sport because of a lack of competition, but this is a common misconception. This year the LHS spirit squad competed at state, and in the past has brought home various trophies and plaques that are displayed outside the main gym.
Senior Kylee Chee, who began cheerleading in middle school, aspires to cheer at the collegiate level and goes above and beyond, practicing 18 hours a week. I was shocked when I heard this number and had Chee break down the time commitment for me.
In addition to 4 hours a week of normal practices, Chee, along with other LHS cheerleaders, attends open gym at Lawrence Gymnastics Academy from 9-11 pm twice a week to perfect stunts and practice new skills. That’s another 6 hours. Then, on the weekends, Chee practices for at least 5 extra hours, and 3 hours a week dedicated to weights.
This does not include games or weeks where the Spirit Squad holds weekend practice.
I am a high school athlete myself and have run cross country and track since middle school. I dedicate around 10 hours a week to my sport, with significantly less in the winter. For years, like many athletes, I had an unconscious assumption that cheer was easier than what I was doing. But the work ethic and time involved behind the scenes are unmatched by most sports offered at the high school level.
Last year, I was interested in joining the LHS Spirit Squad. After track practice, I attended open gym and tryout clinics with Chee and other cheerleaders. After a week-long glimpse into the cheerleader lifestyle, I was exhausted and concluded that while practicing my sport, I did not have the time required to dedicate.
With cheer not being given the distinction of a sport, many members of the Spirit Squad participate in other sports as well. Freshman Lucy Godfrey plays basketball in the winter and softball in the spring.
If cheer was considered a sport, the Spirit Squad would not have to practice after other sports have concluded, from 5:30-9:30 pm in the fall.
Beyond the convenience of having an earlier practice time, cheer and pom deserve the respect of being called a sport. Athletes in other sports, who are cheered on by the spirit squad, need to recognize the physical demands and difficulty involved in cheerleading and stand by their fellow athletes.
It is more than time to give the spirit squad the label and respect it deserves.
