On a Fun Tip: Online Cheerleading Games

So most of my blogs so far have been on a serious/controversial side. I figured i would post a blog that was a little more fun, especially for cheerleaders. I saw a preview for a new wii game that is a cheerleading game, and it got me thinking if there were any online games. I found a couple games but one really stood out to me as  relatively accurate Spirit Fever . Although it could be improved as far as directions, helps and tips to figure out the game.

This is a character from the game. You can pick hair color,eye color, skin color, outfits, etc and even buy different outfits, as well as win trophies.

This game allowed the coach(the user) to hold tryouts and train the squad in areas such as stunting, dancing, jumps, fundraising, and tumbling.






Another online game Highschool Cheerleader gives you the ability to play one or two player mode which is nice. However, to me it is a lot like Dance, Dance, Revolution. Arrows move across the screen and the player has to mimic the arrows and create the dance moves.

Cheerleading is a Sport!!!!!

Basket Toss

I want to start by saying Thank You to Leif-Herald Nesheim who wrote Cheerleading-As-a-Sport-and-Its-Dangers. It is nice to see other people out there who talk in favor of cheerleading as a sport. I'm hoping that this blog will help put the word out and give some people a better understanding of what it really means to be a cheerleader. Cheerleading is dangerous for many reasons. Girls are thrown 20ft in the air in stunts called basket toss. Cheerleading is also dangerous because coach's lack knowledge and safety tips. Gymnastics is a part of cheerleading which also increases the dangers.


                                    

Court Ruling: Cheerleading a federal gender equity requirements of a Title IX sport.

Many Universities have been struggling with court rulings on whether or not cheerleading is considered a sport. The court ruling in Connecticut that cheerleading does not meet requirements as a Title IX sport.  Even at high school levels safety issues and securities leave cheerleading in a gray area. Some schools consider cheerleading a  club rather than a sport. Some groups like USA cheer are pushing to establish cheerleading as a sport recognized by the NCAA. This Sports Illustrated  article brings up some good points and concerns about making cheerleading recognized by the NCAA and how it differs from Gymnastics. One problem is that cheerleading competitions do not all have the same rules and regulations. Every competition has different levels of difficulties allowed. I have competed in many competitions and it would make it easier on the teams if there were the same rules and regualtions across the board. Every competition we had to change our routine to either spice it up or water it down to meet the regulations in the division your team is put in to. In example, one competion would allow team standing back tucks, but a different competition didn't allow team standing back tucks.

Famous People/Leaders, former cheerleaders

On cheerleading.about.com list several past leaders and famous people who have been cheerleaders. Some people on the list include:



Aaron Spelling
T.V. producer




George W. Bush
Philips Academy Andover, MA



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Dwight D. Eisenhower



Actress Sally Field



Samuel L. Jackson

           

Actor Michael Douglas

There are many more leaders and celebrities who were previous cheerleaders so for more details about the above cheerleaders and other cheerleaders use the link at the top of the blog. To my surprise there are many male cheerleaders that are an older generation. I wasnt under the impression that male cheerleaders have been around for a long time. Even i learn new things about cheerleading.

Cheerleading Injuries/Deaths

This article cheerleading injuries in high school and collegiate settings holds some interesting facts about cheerleading how and when it started and statistics of participants as well as injuries. Being a cheerleader the statistics do not surprise me.

In Memory:

Lauren Chang was a cheerleader from Worcester, Mass who died during a cheerleading performance, after being kicked in the chest. Below is a video of a tribute performance put on by her teamates.


In Memory:

Ashley Burns died from a lacerated spleen after falling from a stunt. I dont agree with suing the cheerleading gym for her death. It is an accident and it is just as dangerous as any other sport.

Tactful or Tasletless Cheer?

Kennedy Tesch is a 6 yr old girl who was kicked off her cheerleading squad after her mom complained about the words of a cheer.

I have always known this cheer to be 'My back aches, my skirts too tight, and my hips shake from left to right'. Different parents feel their kids are allowed to be exposed to different things at different ages. I have never been on a team that approved of this cheer. I don't think it was ever brought up as a legit cheer. People have forgotten the whole point of having cheerleaders at a game, or event is to 'cheer for a team'. That cheer no matter how the words have changed it still has nothing to do with supporting a team or the squad itself. It is still important to keep in mind the job that cheerleaders are there to do, entertain and support, but to do it in a tactful way.
The little girl is going to be the only one suffering from this drama. The coach kicked her off a team over something she couldn't control. Sports are about the kids and nobody at the school or the team seems to be thinking about the kids and how being kicked off might change her views on this sport forever.  Any organization that doesn't think possible inappropriate cheers are a problem, and follow it up with expelling the athlete from the team, find a different team with better role models. 

South Florida Cheerleading Competitions

Cheerleaders, and Cheerleading fans,
It is that time of year......cheerleading season.  With the winter coming up it means competition season is nearing.  South Florida is home to many cheerleading competitions. Check out the links below and possibly find the one that is best for your squad.

South Florida Fair
FIU

And here are some other cheerleading competitions in Florida.

Jacksonville---
Clash of the Titans

Orlando---
Disney:contest of champions
High School-Disney
Universal Studios

Multiple Cities---
Jacksonville, Orlando, Daytona
Jacksonville and Orlando

Cheerleading a Sport? Debate

After reading the article Cheerleading a Sport? Spare me,please written by Gary Stein from the Sun-Sentinel. I had to discuss how wrong and uneducated he is about cheerleading.

Competitive Cheerleading- Cheerleaders from different teams compete against eachothers scores on their performance, level of difficulty, spacing, voices, creativity, sharpness, etc.
Competitive cheerleaders can be on allstar teams, high school, recreation league, middle school, elementary school, and college. Cheerleading has evolved throughout time just like every other sport. Every generation the skills become more advanced and cheerleaders are able to do things that were never imaginable with the human body. Even the looks and gender of cheerleaders have changed.



For people who do not think that what these athletes do in this video is a sport your wrong. Nothing in this routine is easy or simple.
To Mr. Gary Stein if you think cheerleading is so easy and simple maybe you should try and do it for one day or find any athlete that you know and see if they think cheerleading is easy or simple.

INTRO

Hello,
     My name is Jasmine Campbell and this is my blog about cheerleading, especially the debate about cheerleading being a sport or not. I cheered for many years for my middle school team East Millbrook in Raleigh,NC then for Boca Jets rec league in Florida, Spanish River High School, and Boca Allstars and Miami Elite allstars. I have also coached boca jets for multiple years and West Boca High school. I hope you enjoy my blog.