The offensive assumption that cheerleading is “not a sport” highlights on Americans’ lack of knowledge about the world of competitive cheerleading. Cheerleading consists of four components: the stunting, the tumbling, the dancing and the motions. The ultimate cheerleader must excel in all these categories. While the ability of a stunt group relies on all four members, tumbling, dancing and motions are up to the individual to succeed.

    Cheerleaders join all-star teams based on their level of skill and experience in the sport. From level one to level six, the skill levels and age groups vary vastly. Cheerleaders in level one have mastered cartwheels and thigh stands while cheerleaders on level six are virtually boundless in their limitations, performing double fulls and throwing girls across the mat from group to group.

    Practices for all-star teams occur all year round, which include long hours and almost daily practices for the whole team. Senior and former all-star cheerleader Caroline Moore said, “most people don’t know the competitive side of cheerleading or the rigorous practices and training that come with the sport.”

    Coaches encourage weekly tumbling classes, where cheerleaders can work on their individual gymnastic skills at their convenience. The sport is very athletically demanding, both from the flips cheerleaders are required to perform and the act of throwing others in the air at impressive heights.

    Then comes the actual cheerleading competitions. Each level and division competes separately, and the drama starts the second the cheerleaders reach the practice mat. Moore said that her favorite part of cheerleading is the competitions, “when you’re getting ready and then right before you go on the mat.” The cheer moms tell their kids how their competitors are doing while the kids are practicing behind the scenes. Everyone hopes for the opposing team to have a fallen stunt or sloppy tumbling.

    After the performances is the award ceremony, where every cheerleader gathers on the mat and awaits the results. Besides winning first place in your division, teams can win special awards for performances, technicality or just a great routine. National competitions give grants to the best teams to go on to “Worlds”, where they will compete against every other country that participates in cheerleading for the world championship of their division.

    Senior Shannon Mahoney skipped her junior prom to attend this “Worlds” competition. She is an extremely talented cheerleader at Scituate High School who has experienced all aspects of cheerleading since she started youth cheerleading in 3rd grade and all-star cheerleading in 6th grade. She now is on a senior level 5 team at Pro-Athletics gym.

    Shannon Mahoney was the girl at the winter pep rally that did flips in front of the cheerleaders and impressed the whole school. Mahoney’s tumbling ability has excelled and is her favorite component of cheerleading. After years of practice, she is now capable of a layout, which is a high-level back flip which requires the cheerleader’s legs to be fully extended.

    Mahoney has participated in almost every stunting role as well. Before she had her growth spurt, she was the most talented flyer on the team, with impressive body control and flexibility. Now she tends to be a back spot because of her height, where she can control the whole stunt and help flyers maintain stability. On her current team, Mahoney back spots her 8th grade sister for difficult and impressive stunts during most of their routine.

    Mahoney is a strong believer that the skill and technique cheerleading requires makes it a sport. She said, “cheerleading is definitely physically straining, where everyone is part of team and need to count on one another all of the time.”

    The stereotypes that make cheerleading appear mindless and easy are not true. The sideline cheers during football and basketball games are not the only component to cheerleading. Mahoney said, “we don’t even say cheers in all-star cheerleading!”

    Cheerleading is a sport, whether it comes down to the training, competitions or athleticism. Just because it does not happen on a field or with a ball, does not mean that the talent and ability for competitive cheerleading is any less than other sports.