Young Cheerleading

[BerniesBurneze]

I guess this is going to be a controversial topic, but I can't help feel cheerleading for under 10s is weirdly inappropriate. (Although watching 13 year olds do it isn't much better)

Genuinely not after a bun fight, I'm curious if I am in the minority or not! AIBU?

Actually, the very worst part of cheerleading, especially in the NFL, is that the footballers earn millions and millions and the cheerleaders don't even make minimum wage. That is far more shocking than having to look like models imo.

I agree there is nothing wrong with looking pretty. But I think sport should be about doing the sport, not how you look when you do it, iyswim.

Disgraceful that sportswomen get paid so much less than sportsmen. In cheerleading/NFL but also in football and so many other sports.

In the area of the US I grew up in, cheerleading was a sport in its own right. Cheerleadering teams went to competitions, they didn't support other sports.
George W. Bush was a cheerleader in college .

For artistic gymnastics the two inevitably go together, tight fitting clothes to show the body lines and it gives you a figure to die for.

Ohhhhh George Bush used to do it? You've totally won me over then.

I will also encourage my DCs to be alcoholics, value big business over the environment, and kill thousands of innocent civilians. Stuff the ethics, as long as they have "figures to die for" by the age of 7.

girls leading the applause for boys, who are doing the real sports.

Um, cheerleading is a real sport. It's just a combination of dancing and gymnastics yet most people don't seem to have a problem with those.

Ohhhhh George Bush used to do it? You've totally won me over then. hmm

I will also encourage my DCs to be alcoholics, value big business over the environment, and kill thousands of innocent civilians. Stuff the ethics, as long as they have "figures to die for" by the age of 7.

Yeah but who you look isn't a focus on Gymnastics is it?

I've never seen an ugly professional cheerleader which would indicate that looks are just as important as talent

Yeah but who you look isn't a focus on Gymnastics is it?

Sure it is. It's the same in dance too.

it's fun, why are we so averse in this country to anyone having fun

I think cheerleading can be great if it's with the right squads

I did cheerleading from 18 (when it became clear that I wasn't good enough for the university gymnastics team) and have always seen it as a really great thing for strength, flexibility, teamwork etc but there are some squads and competitions out there which really focus on the looks and the barbie glam factor and that is creepy ESPECIALLY with under 10s but just generally for everyone.

Tbh, I think it's not much different from dance schools - some are really dedicated and professional and ban make up on students, others basically try to turn the students into mini strippers.

Also, for anyone saying that you don't see unattractive cheerleaders, I'd like to point to my former squad of very average looking girls and guys.

Yes we were fit enough to do the sport, but apart from the flyers (who go in the air) none of us were tiny, in fact most of the female bases including me could have passed for female rugby players thanks to the hench thighs and shoulders...

If you saw us individually on the bus you'd not even give us a passing glance because we were ordinary but get everyone in the same uniform, with hair up in a ponytail so we look all matchy and we looked like a rather attractive group because we were all youngish, clearly in shape, and there was some odd group effect making us look better!

Oh and we competed nationally and internationally so we were pretty good by UK standards but not professional.

Boys cheerleading at our school.

This is just snobbery reality I think.

Whatever gets kids moving and away from computer screens is fine by me.

My dds were bored bloody rigid at ballet.

I think it's great.

My first Get in!!!

I'm not averse to having fun, and I positively encourage it in my DCs. I just don't think I could see a sport which has its roots in repressive gender stereotyping, and currently financially exploits professionals doing it, as lots of fun.

There's a dance school near me that offers cheerleading classes for age 5+. Both girls and boys attend. They do a lot of gymnastics-type stuff as well as the whole "2,4,6,8" thing. It looks like a lot of fun and DD (5) has been begging me to go. Unfortunately I can't afford to send her to that and ballet (which she really enjoys), but did buy her a cheerleading dressing-up costume and pompoms for her to play with at home.

Why is it inappropriate? This is a genuine question, not an accusation! I don't know much about the origins of cheerleading.

My children dance. I have four, two boys, two girls. All compete.

At our dance school we have a girl who is slightly older than dd1. She is in a couple of dds festival groups and another girl has recently been bullying her, telling her she is "too fat" and "not good enough" to be in the groups.

The dance teacher had this girl in the office and came down VERY hard on her as the school prides itself on letting anyone have a chance.

We also have boys only classes and boys going right through the school from toddlers to 18+.

Cheerleading for little ones is just another fun way to keep fit. I think it's people over thinking it that see a problem with it. As pp have said, most cheer squads uniform is shorts and t-shirts, my dancers wear tights and leotards (or even, shock horror! Crop tops and hot pants).

DDs 13 not 7!
And I don't think there's a 13y alive who wouldn't think being able to eat biscuits without worrying isn't a useful side effect of their hobby.

This is house is pretty much a fashion and diet free zone, but DD2 still picks up outside influences in a way the rest of us don't.

I'm delighted that gym and trampolining give her a healthy active way to feel good about her body image.

She is enough of a control freak and fussy/disinterested enough about food for the alternative not to bear thinking about.

My DDs all cheer, alongside gymnastics and dance. They love it. They have never cheered for any other sport, but always competed in their own right. It's taught them discipline and team work, it's hard exercise and they work up a sweat. They are scored on jumping, tumbling and gymnastics, building stunts and pyramids. There is nothing on any score sheet for appearance. DD1 and DD2 are fortunate to be heading out to the USA to compete in the world championships this month and would not be impressed if they heard it described as inappropriate!

For practice they wear shorts and t shirt, and for competitions they wear long sleeved tops with skorts (akin to netball, tennis, hockey etc.) They do wear sparkly hair bows, and my oldest 3 fake tan and wear makeup. They're 13, 16 and 17 though! My 10 year old doesn't wear fake tan and wears stage makeup akin to dancing - usually lipstick and sparkly eyeshadow, but no foundation or false eyelashes!

DD4 is on a youth team which is all girls, DD3 is on a coed junior team and DD1 and DD2 are on coed senior teams. There's actually almost 50:50 boys to girls on the senior team, which I think is similar certainly on the bigger US teams.

Some links to proper cheer - note no pom poms or footballers in sight!

A coed team from England at the world championships:
m.youtube.com/watch?v=jdESWX8tSA8

A coed youth team from the USA (aged 8-12):
m.youtube.com/watch?v=9bP2mLism-Y

A coed senior team from the USA - note equal numbers of boys and girls:
m.youtube.com/watch?v=dBpo_luWK4g

Finally an all girl group from England at worlds.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=oOkhvXAYSJs

Watch these and if you still think it's girlie pom poms I'll be surprised!

It's athletic and we want people to be more active. The uniforms are no more problematic than a swim suit or dance/gymnastic leotard. The only issue I see (and this goes for adult cheerleading too)is the lack of protective clothing, especially for the fliers. I don't think it is about just looking pretty, it requires skill, determination and a lot of practice.

Did anyone watch that Penn and Teller programme on cheering, it was an eye opener for sure. They mentioned all the protective gear and insurance the American footballers had and then showed how dangerous cheering is by showing the accidents that take place. Those women are unprotected and under-insured. It isn't good.

Actually, the very worst part of cheerleading, especially in the NFL, is that the footballers earn millions and millions and the cheerleaders don't even make minimum wage. That is far more shocking than having to look like models imo.

Agreed, that and the lack of protection for them. In addition they have the most incredible amount of behavioural rules to live up to.

For little ones I think it is just fun (or it should be) like dance or gymnastics, football or tennis.

I'd have no issues with it if kids could compete without fake tan, makeup etc. but if they want to win then they have to confirm that that Barbie/dolly bird image. And that's not appropriate for 7 year olds. The cheer squad I know of wont let you compete for them if you don't agree to all that.

Competitive cheerleading is totally different NFL cheerleaders or side line cheerleaders. It's so annoying the people think all chearleaders have pom poms and prance around.
Competitive cheerleading the cheer leaders are the athletes so no exploitation takes place

I'm just jolly glad DD doesn't go that high with out a trampoline to land on.

We have shirty attendance letters caused by busted ankles as it is!

So, in the UK, do any of the cheerleaders do side line cheerleading at all? Because, DD's squad (it's a Pop Warner team) do both, compete and cheer the football teams on. And not one of the kids have fake tans or make up. That's kind of against the whole ideology of the younger squads.

It also offers really good college scholarships for girls that go onto cheer through high school.

It's very similar to acro really except for a bigger group