by WHITLEY CLIFTON
As announced in last week’s edition of The Forest-Blade, the month of March is recognized as National Cheerleading Safety Month, which means this is the perfect time to spread awareness about cheerleading safety. Cheerleading first became an official sport in the 1920s and has vastly changed and evolved from a community expression of spirit and patriotism to a serious athletic sport of tumbling, acrobatics and strength. When a cheer squad takes the mat, there are a lot of safety protocols and factors in place that each cheerleader is well educated on well before each season starts.
At every competition, each cheerleading group representing schools throughout the state “take the mat,” as cheerleaders say , to give an outstanding performance. From choreographic dancing, to tumbling and team stunt building, each cheerleader strives as a part of the team to give their very best, all while hyping up the crowd with school spirit in hopes of receiving a high score and making the top placement list,..preferably first !
To be the top elite squad with the best score possible, each move must correspond as instructed by the choreographer; each stunt must go up at a certain time as practiced numerous times; each tumble must “stick” when completed… Nothing is allowed to fall and hit the mat – that rule applies to both the cheerleader and her bow. If you mess up, there’s no time to stop and ask for a redo. The clock is still running down, the music is still blazing over the speakers, and your fellow cheerleaders are continuing with the repetitive 8-count performance. The crowd is still watching and so are the competition judges who critique every move throughout the performance, both good and bad. When an error takes place, a true cheerleader knows only one thing – The show must continue to go on! When faced with small, unexpected errors that are bound to happen at some point in time, stopping mid-routine is not an option. However, larger performance errors that lead to injury can shut down the team’s performance faster than it started. That’s why cheerleaders are not only trained on minor mishap recoveries, but they are also trained on safety practices that prevent devastating injuries as well; and the coaches are held responsible for upholding and promoting the same standards.
There are many safety measures in place that some people may not be aware of. Georgia High School Association (GHSA) puts forth rules and regulations to ensure that student athletes are protected from potential injuries while they are involved in this high-risk activity. By implementing safety protocols during its first season back in action ,the Emanuel County Institute Competition Cheerleading team had a very safe and successful return to the mat!
“GHSA has a rules clinic that every coach participates in and then they complete a test before receive coaching credentials. The rules include what is allowed for pyramids, stunts, etc. in an effort to protect participants from injury,” Emanuel County Competition Head Coach Tabitha Downer explained. “Athletes must be cleared with a doctor's sports physical before they can even tryout for the squad. It is the coach’s responsibility to maximize student performance while always considering the risk factors and ability of each athlete.”.
After leading a successful first season since the rebirth of the school’s competition squad, Coach Downer, a first-time competition cheerleading coach, expressed her appreciation for the experi
advice she received from Swainsboro High School Cheerleading Coaches Luci and Bob McNeely. "This was a tremendous assist not only for me but for our cheerleaders as well," Coach Downer added that the McNeely’s have helped guide her in finding the best methods for developing a winning team as well as plans for future goals as the team progresses. “We try to gain more advanced material through proper skill progressions as the athletes are ready to move on,” Coach Downer stated. During her new tenure as the competition squad’s head coach, Downer says she is also thankful for the assistance of Deidra Kearson who helps with the squad’s workout routines, focusing on conditioning and strength training. These training techniques are used to ensure proper exercising, strengthening and flexibility practices that promote each cheer athletes’ ability to reach their peak performance. In addition to overall physical fitness of the Bulldog Cheerleaders, Coach Downer says it’s just as important to practice proactive measures to promote the well-being of the cheerleaders. “It's also important to address small injuries before they develop into more serious complications.” Having received such great support from a leadership level, the ECI Varsity Competition Cheer Squad delivered an exceptional performance throughout 2021, making numerous placements in competitions throughout the season That hard work led to the team receiving a region champ status and receiving their ticket to compete at state-level. “As a new coach in competition cheerleading, I have been amazed at the athleticism of our students. At ECI we have a great group of athletes who also excel in the classroom. These students are dedicated to their sport but they realize that academics come first. Being able to balance all those activities and extracurricular activities like cheerleading is not always easy. However, it's very rewarding when students are able to find a happy medium. Our first year back at competing has been very successful for the Bulldogs. We have managed to secure a Region Championship and made an appearance at State. For the upcoming school year, we hope to work hard and do even better.”
