Expert: Steve Michaud - 3/30/2001

Question
Hi. I am a cheerleading coach for a small high school.  Next week, I have to go before the school board to argue my case on mounting in cheerleading.  They want to put a stop to it.  Any
expert advice?  I'm having trouble with the fact that in Football or wrestling it is much more dangerous.  I'd appreciate any help you can give.

Answer
Sorry it took so long to get back to you...but I was looking (with no luck) for an article I had on sports injuries in high school athletics.  The basic gist of the article was that cheering injuries were not more numerous, but more severe when judged by time needed to continue activity.  I have some theories on this I'll throw at you in a min.  

Cheerleading in all it's forms and levels is one of the most popular and fastest growing athletic activities in the world.  Participants start as young as 5 and continue right up to those mega veteran staff for the cheer camp companies that are in their 40s...and fron the USA to England Sweeden, Germany and Austrailia...the numbers are way up!  Because number of participants is up injuries are up slightly, but not necessarily proportionately...this is beacuse of better trained supervision and safer guidelines.  


Now before I give you your support for your argument let me address one of your premises with regard to football and wrestling...cheering (I believe) can be much more dangerous!  Here's the reason...EVERY mat in my gym has a warning label that reads "any activity involving height, rotation or motion icreases the possibility of serious injury, paralysis or even death."  This description fits cheerleading perfectly, but wrestling and football are "ground games"...no height involved no rotations.  Also the surfaces and equipment worn are designed to protect the athletes.  Not so in cheering...the only thing preventing a cheerleader from hitting the ground is another HUMAN...subject to human error...see my point...I'd avoid this argument.

Now for your argument...you need to be educated in the National Federation guidelines for cheering...these rules are designed for the safety of all the participants involved...flyers and bases alike.  You should explain the progressions you use to assure your kids readiness for the stunts they are working on.  You should also request that they help you get the certifications to help keep your kids safe

AACCA cert (American Association for Cheerleading Coaches and Advisors)  www.aacca.org?  I think...deals with safety and liability issues specific to cheerleading...very much like the USA Gymnastics Safety Cert...

ACEP certification...required for coaches of any sport in some states.  Deals with the general principles of coaching today's young athletes.

CPR/First Aid Training

AND... A spotting training seminar...with hands on practice...the only way to get good at spotting is for you and your kids to practice.

I really think that if the board sees how safety conscious you are they may reconsider.  Try to express to them that taking beam out of gymnastics because of the dangerous falls gymnasts in the past made wasn't the answer...better mats and equipment and better coaching and spotting helped make it safer.  

I do think that if you are stunting there should always be appropriate matting..if you don't have mats...see if you can share the wrestling mats until you can get a cheer floor.   (Tell the wrestling coach they won't wear street shoes and it really doesn't affect the mat much over time...my kids used the same mats for 5 years and the mats still look like new)  

Try to support your argument with "pro-active" measures instead of poking at other sports.  No athletic activity is without injuries and even tragedies...but our job as coaches in any sport is to minnimize it and build our kids into productive hard working young adults through team-building, goal setting, hard work, and FUN!

Best of luck to you...I hope I wasn't too late getting back to you!!

Steve Michaud
Cheer Director
ENA, NJ