practices and preparation. Scoring is based on three panels of judges.
Panel A scores degree of difficulty and execution in jumps, cheer, and
dance components. Panel B scores degree of difficulty and execution
in standing and running tumbling. Panel C scores the team’s degree of
difficulty and execution of partner stunts and pyramid.
“The majority of points are combined in the tumbling and stunting
categories,” said Ann Michele, “which is why we practice so often.
Points are based on 50% or more of your team doing a skill. Having
those who can perform the higher-level skills can increase scores.”
Even so, competition cheer is truly a team sport. “The chemistry
that connects the cheerleaders as a team is as important as their
individual abilities to the performance. We’ve yet to have the
number of skills and tumbling on the team since 2004. Even so,
we’ve remained competitive,” an undisputed fact proven by state
championship wins in 2016 and again in 2019.
“Competition cheer is not for everyone. I completely get that,”
said Ann Michele. “You have to consider both the time and the
risk involved.” In an article published on September 10, 2013, for
washingtonpost.com, Lenny Bernstein reports, “According to a 2012
report and policy statement by the American Academy of Pediatrics,
cheerleading ‘accounted for 65 percent of all direct catastrophic
injuries to girl athletes at the high school level and 70.8 percent at the
college level’ between 1982 and 2009.” Statistics like these explain
why Cheer Coach Monica Aldama preaches: “You keep going until you
get it right. And then you keep going until you can’t get it wrong.”
If I had not been assigned this article, the chance that I would
have watched Cheer was zero to none. But for the sake of an article,
I’ve done some pretty crazy things. I figured I could at least endure the
first episode. By the time the credits rolled by at the end of episode 6, I
had a whole new respect for competitive cheerleading as a sport. And -
I had watched the entire season in one sitting.
Some may wonder, “Why the time and risk when cheerleading has
no future?” One episode of Cheer reveals just how difficult it would
be to make a college cheer team. The same could be said for other
school sports. How many kids in other sports will actually play on a
college level, much less beyond college? The benefits are not in a future
career but in all the many ways team sports help prepare our children
by instilling discipline, commitment, and social connections. Above
all, sports like competition cheer give opportunity for mentors to
partner with parents in providing positive influence in the lives of our
children.
“Even more than love for the sport itself,” said Ann Michele, “I
value the role that athletics plays in the lives of our students. Building
relationships through this sport has allowed me the opportunity to
make a difference in their lives and ultimately help them be their
best.”
Accessorize It
Designs
Bedding,
blinds, shutters
and shades...
we’ve got you
covered
Love your
Surroundings!
Seasons
Design
Center
Eccl 3:1 d l
117 NW Main St., Vidalia
Providing our communities with safe,
reliable and affordable electricity...
since 1936
ALTAMAHA Electric Membership Corporation
COMMUNITY OWNED COMMUNITY BUILT COMMUNITY BUILDER
526-8181 • altamahaemc.com
90 TOOMBS COUNTY MAGAZINE
“Even more than love
for the sport itself,
I value the role that
athletics plays in the
lives of our students.”
/washingtonpost.com
/altamahaemc.com