Thursday, February 21, 2008

On My Soapbox - Cheerleading Safety

Cheerleading and Safety -

It is said that Cheerleading is one of the most dangerous sports for our children and young adults to be involved in. While I don’t dismiss the studies that have been done (mostly based on emergency room visits) I do challenge what areas of cheerleading these stats were derived from.

My analysis:
When you hear the press on the lack of safety in cheerleading you are directed to high school, college (some) and little league (pop warner types) of cheerleading organizations. These programs are usually under funded so YES, they are stunting and tumbling on bare gym floors or just panel mats where repetitve practice can be very dangerous to the joints. Many routines are performed on the sidelines of football fields without any proper equipment for the degree of physical activity this sport has evolved into. Many (not all) of the coaches are not certified in cheer safety. In some instances the coach is merely a chaperone, and the team captains are in charge of the squads and routines. In other words, many administrators of these cheerleading programs still look at cheerleading as an add on to their football or basketball programs, and don’t look at it as a true sport or fund it as they do other sports.

Is there SAFE Cheerleading? You bet there is!! All-Star Competitive Cheerleading gyms spend thousands of dollars sending their coaches to USASF coaching safety certification courses, they are strictly ruled by safety guidelines and they invest in spring loaded floors (to protect against repetitive joint damage), rod floors, tumble tracks, and trampolines to train their athletes.

What is USASF?

USASF is the U.S. All Star Federation. It’s about safety standards. It’s about coaches’ education. It’s about providing a safe environment to allow for the continued growth of all star cheerleading and dance across the country. It’s about parents knowing their children are being taught using safe methods that are in accordance with the standard of care. It’s about standardization of rules from one competition to the next.

If you would like to know more about USASF: www.usasf.net

Want to see if your gym is USASF certified: http://www.usasf.net/frmGymSearch.aspx

Just my opinions, would love to hear yours!
Julie

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