Negative Press for Cheerleading Unfair by Pam Headridge
 SPECIAL FEATURE Negative Press for  Cheerleading Unfair by Pam Headridge ... 

SPECIAL FEATURE

Negative Press for Cheerleading Unfair

by Pam Headridge

The news media across the

country tends to focus on the

negative side. Cheerleading

news is no exception. Recent

cheer news stories range from

hazing to lack of safety standards. Yes,

these stories do happen but many of the

stories are one-sided and do not portray

the overall cheerleading picture. The

media over dramatizes these stories

and edits the interviews and

material to try and prove their

point. I am frustrated by this negative

portrayal of cheerleading

and take issue with these slanted

views. For every negative piece that

the newspapers print, there are many

more positive headlines that could be

told about cheerleading. Because of the

negative press, all the good that cheerleading

provides is overlooked and hurts

these young athletes.

Having been part of the cheerleading

world here in Washington State for almost

20 years, I have seen the benefits cheerleading

provides to young people and the

community especially in the high school

arena. I want to address and give move

details on two of these slanted views:

lack of safety and negative behavior.

Safety is a prime concern. With the increase

of athleticism in cheerleaders,

coaches’ training is required in most states.

In scholastic cheerleading, many states require

Association of Cheer Coaches and

Administrators (AACCA) certification.

Most states necessitate school coaches

to follow the National Federation of

High Schools Spirit Rules Book that is

updated on yearly bases. Spirit teams

have had the NFHS rules book since

the 1988-89 school years. Every year

at the beginning of school in the state

of Washington, cheer coaches are

given a copy of this rules book from

their athletic director. Rules clinics are

taught across the nation. Also Washington

requires hands-on stunt certi- fication for cheer coaches who intend to

have their cheer squad(s) perform stunts.

Coaches must be recertified every three

(3) years. Plus all cheer coaches must

meet the same Washington Interscholastic

Activities Association Coaches Standards

as any other sport’s program in the

state. Many state cheer coaches association

offer courses in stunt safety, progression,

cheer fundamentals and tumbling.

The National Council of Spirit Safety and

Education provides comprehensive safety

training and certification programs for the

educational development of spirit coaches

and advisors through a national council of

unified industry leaders. Many national

companies also provide coaches education

at their summer cheer camps, too.

Safety has been on the forefront not

only in scholastic programs but also in the

club/all star organizations. U.S. All Star

Federation offers coaches credentialing

in three core subjects: tumbling, stunts

and tosses. In their words, “These efforts

are to create a safer environment, by developing

standards through proper skill

progressions... Through credentialing,

coaches are made aware of expectations

as teachers and role models. It is the goal

of the USASF to infuse good decisions into

each and every credentialed coach so that

they may expand the positive life experience

of all star cheerleading and dance

into the lives of the youth they encourage.

USASF is recognized as the baseline of education

for each individual coach and also

expect these standards to be met.”

The second topic of cheerleaders’ negative

behavior is overblown. Yes, young

people make poor choices and need to be

held accountable for these choices. But

where are the bravos for doing the right

thing? Here in the Washington, high school

cheerleaders give back willingly to their

community. Ballard, Oak Harbor, Sammamish

and Bellarmine Prep, donated their

weekend to cheer at the National Wheelchair

Basketball Varsity Championships.

Heritage, Bellevue and Peninsula participated

in the Cancer Relay for Life in their

communities, while Tahoma, Oak Harbor,

Ballard, Burlington, and Bellarmine Prep

participated in the Seattle’s Susan G. Kormen

Race for the Cure every year. Glacier

Peak High School cheerleaders donned

pink shirts and set up a cheer station at

the Susan G. Kormen 3 day Walk Against

Cancer in Snohomish. Hanford High School

hosted a “Pink Game Friday” and raised

over a $1000 in shirt sales and donations.

Cheerleaders from Skyline and Oak Harbor

participated in the Soapbox Derby Challenge

for Kids with Special Needs in their

local communities. Juanita High School

cheer is currently doing a “Passionately

Pink for the Cure” fundraiser in support

of the fight against breast cancer. Oak

Harbor High School hosted food drives at

all home football games in October. On a

larger scale, the National Cheerleaders

Association has partnered up with Make-

A-Wish Foundation to offer NCA cheer

teams an opportunity to share the power

of a wish® with wish kids through local

volunteer and fundraising efforts! This

is just a short list of positive impact that

cheerleaders have on their community

but you do not see the national news media

publishing these facts? I know other

cheerleaders across the country perform

these kind of good deeds too. It is time to

show both sides, yet all I see in the national

media is the unfavorable press.

Cheerleaders train and work hard. Their

coaches put in many hours on education

and safety. They understand the values of

safety, strong leadership and giving to their

school and community. It is time to show

both sides of cheerleading and give these

young athletes their due recognition. H

Pam Headridge

President,

WA State Cheer Coaches Association