Why Self-Care Matters for Cheerleaders Cheer is a year-round sport for many athletes, with practices, games, competitions and school all competing for time. Self-care is how you keep your body and mind ready for all of it. This guide covers the basics that health organizations recommend for young athletes: sleep, rest, skin care, fueling, mental […]
How to Keep Your Energy High While Cheering and Performing
Energy is something judges and crowds actually notice. USASF’s all-star scoring has a performance category that looks for high energy, entertainment value, confidence and showmanship. Game days can mean hours in the sun, and competition days mean waiting around and then going full out for a short routine. This guide covers what helps you keep […]
How to Reduce Soreness After Cheer Practice (and When It’s an Injury)
Sore legs after jump drills, sore arms after a long stunt practice, a sore core after conditioning: most cheerleaders know the feeling. Some soreness is a normal response to hard or new training. This guide explains why it happens, what the research says actually helps, and the signs that pain is something more than ordinary […]
Common Cheerleading Injuries: Causes, Prevention and When to Get Help
Cheer is a real sport, and it comes with real injury risk. The good news is that the overall injury rate in high school cheer is lower than in most other high school sports. The bad news is that when cheer injuries happen, they can be serious and take a long time to heal. This […]