Is cheerleading worth it?

[HelenaBellena]

I'm in two minds, the idea seems really cringey but its very popular and seems like the in thing

My daughter loves it . Warning it is is very expensive especially if they are competing . It isn’t cringey at all and very impressive some of the skills and stunts they do .

Cheerleading like see in America or what we call cheerleading in England but is actually just them dancing round with a baton or Pom poms?

If it's the latter then it will take over your life! Weekends away, you have to constantly train; attend every single event.
It's bloody time consuming.

Hi @popandchoc @strawberry2017 thanks for this - definitely not competing but trying it out. Im in two minds really

I personally will say no if my daughter ever asks me. I went through it with my niece and my god it was awful. You couldn't say yes to anything as there was always something you had to attend.
I'm all for activities but not one that takes over your life and stops the whole family doing anything ever!

Why not choose a sport that's actually a sport and that you don't have to wear make up for?

No. It''s quite dangerous too.

Well it's being showcased at the Olympics so I don't he verge of being recognised as the sport it is.

How big a commitment and cost it is depends massively on the club.

Many do recreational classes that are just once a week no competition attire needed.

One club I know they competitive team is 2 hours a week plus a tumble class of one hour a week. The younger kids and lower level teams compete twice a year. Competition outfit £100 but is kept for 3 years and they help sell on 2nd hand. £55 per month, completion entry about £25

One of the high achieving clubs. 4 hours per week £76 per month (better facilities though). Uniform a little more but again used for 3 years help sell second hand. International teams hire their uniform for £50 per year.

So cheaper than competitive dance or acro gymnastics.

Fantastic for those who like being part of a team and there is a place for all levels and abilities. Absolutely find out what the commitment is though.

Chatting to other parents at comps though some clubs have uniform of £250 and a different one for each team in the club 😳 at one point my DD was in 3 teams!!!!

I should imagine facilities and costs do vary too. I would want classes on a sprung floor only.

Some clubs have only Allstar cheer (so tumbles stunts) some do the dance as well which seems to involve more costume buying!

It's incredibly athletic. And dangerous.

Watch Cheer on Netflix!

If your kid is above recreational level all sports take up time, I was a swimmer, my poor parents. SH was a footballer, saturday training, sunday matches, his sister still resents it.

Mine are unfortunately into horses £££££££££££

I was a competitive cheerleader for years and cannot recommend cheerleading enough to people. The sportsmanship, team building, confidence building is just rival to none.

But it is expensive, very expensive. And only creeps up in price the better you get (trips to America to compete at worlds etc).

I'm assuming it's girls only?

Why?

This. I don’t see the need for make up in cheerleading or gymnastics. Should be phased out.

Neither make up nor competition outfits are a requirement of competing in Cheer.

It's not uncommon for younger teams or new clubs to wear matching shorts and t-shorts. They aren't scored on them.

There are a few boys at my daughters cheerleading club across the teams.

I had similar reservations tbh and it can be a bit much seeing hundreds of six year olds walking around a leisure centre at the weekend with a full face of make up and loads of rhinestones. Also the travel for competitions (appreciate not relevant here) can be a bit of a ball ache. But it has been amazing for my DD, the technical skill involved is not to be underestimated and it’s been great for her to develop friendships and a non-screen hobby outside of school. They competed in Barcelona in June and that team has just been demonstrating their routine to the residents of a local cafe home this afternoon, shorts and T-shirts and not a diamanté in sight!

*care home

@randomuser2021 that's really depressing! The high achieving club DD goes to insists on commitment to attending- it's a team sport and they can't train properly with people missing but not if they are injured. It has the benefit of being a large enough club they can get folk from other teams to fill in for the session when someone is injured.

All the tumbling, flex specific classes are optional and extra but both are covered as part of the regular sessions.

You do need to do your homework on the club.

DDs did this for a couple of years. Recreational level, only a few low-stress competitions. They enjoyed it but didn’t take it up again after the Covid closures.

My DD Does it at university and loves it, it's been a great way to make friends, but when she was younger, she did dancing and gymnastics, which I think are probably better for all round fitness, strength and coordination.

Like any sport you can participate at recreational through to seriously competitive levels.

Regardless of level you need people with different skills and body types in a team. Given the low level of sports participation amongst teenage girls in particular, I would support anyone who shows an interest to give it a go.

It is a sport that retains older girls and as they go through puberty and change shape they can take on different roles (flyer, base, tumbler). Instead of focusing on the make up and glitz (not all clubs take it to the same level), focus on the positive body messages of having teens of all different shapes participating in a team together.

This! It's a fabulous team sport. Obviously quality of clubs vary. But my dd loves hers.

My dd's secondary school had a cheerleading team, and they had several male members, all of whom were also in the school rugby team. It needs a heck of a lot of strength at the base of those pyramids.

My daughter is quite young but competes with a lovely club. It's a charity so the costs are affordable and many members are helped with fees (part of a larger organization offering various activities and training to young people). I was told the other local club everything is at least double the price.

Younger teams compete in shorts and T-shirt and older ones borrow uniform from the stock for each competition for a small fee so we don't have to pay a fortune for that.

The training is amazing and the tumbling skills they learn are impressive. Their club doesn't ask for any make up for pre teens and fairly subtle make up for older ones, but some of the teams at the competitions are ridiculously made up and I hate it.

I love the teamwork/friends/skills/athleticism. Don't like the loud music at competitions, the outfits and make up of some teams or the fact the announce who came last, wish they just announced top 5!

My daughter loves it and is good at it so will keep encouraging her.