The first level of safety involves catastrophic injury in which involves permanent paralysis or death. Cheer is very dangerous every year there are lots of girls and boys getting hurt during cheer. But as many parents already know, injuries are now simply a part of cheerleading. Obviously, purely accidental injuries are the types that ,no matter what, they could not be stopped from happening. Cheerleading and Concussions: The Hidden Dangers in this Popular Sport Nodar moved on to the two-hour cheer routine practice as if nothing had happened. "So we make sure they have all the basic stunting and it's like stairs. She was talking funny. "It's our priority to make sure we provide that environment. 2023 Cronkite News. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { Cheerleaders today are as competitive as the teams on the playing fields. These types of injuries should be unacceptable in any program. Do to these limited resources, many coaches and cheerleaders wind up trying to replicate a tumbling pass or acrobatic lift (stunt) they saw somewhere else. The Navarro cheerleaders practice their routine in the docuseries 'Cheer. If it wasnt I would have never let my girls do it.. Experts say mandatory shows of support for other students inherently makes these athletes seem secondary and detracts from their opportunities. An example of this would be having a flyer (top person) dropped onto the ground. Common stunts that pose risks include tossing and flipping cheerleaders in the air and creating human pyramids that reach 15 feet high or more. The distinction is made however between competitive cheer, which is. Last year, there were almost 37,000 emergency room visits for cheerleading injuries among girls aged 6 to 22, according to data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Phommanyvong had never done any gymnastics before she started cheering. When the activity began in the latter half of the 19th century, it was only for men. But there is just so much more to what they do than just providing school spirit. (Photo courtesy of Lisa Caiazzo) Desert Mountain cheerleaders stand during the national anthem before the football game. Abstract - NeuLife Cheerleading and Catastrophic Injuries: Is Cheerleading the Most Dangerous Female Sport? As her stunt group was in the process of learning a new skill, Alexa was kicked in the left temple. Theyre kind of making it too safe, taking out skills that are very exciting to do, Kori said. "It's like bench-pressing a person," a second cheerleader said. In the video you can see how dangerous stunting is. Rebecca Tay presents five budget-friendly pieces to add a bit of fun to your summer wardrobe. How Dangerous Is Cheerleading Compared to Other Sports? Rebecca Matthews If you ask any cheerleader "is cheerleading considered a sport?" you will most likely get a very fired up response. Cheerleading Dangers | Children's Community Pediatrics "There's always going to be risk there, our job is to minimize that risk, especially from the catastrophic type of injury.". Risks and Dangers of Cheerleading by Taylor Cowan - Prezi Football has retained its number one spot over the decades, while cheerleading has managed to dramatically lower its rate of catastrophic injuries in recent years. Most of the injuries were suffered by 12- to 17-year-olds; nearly 40 percent were leg, ankle and foot injuries. She had no headaches and she didnt feel like she was going to faint. A sport. Its scary, said Lynne Castro, Cheerleading, If you look up the definition of a sport in the dictionary, it will tell you that a sport is a physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively. from Duquesne University. The two reasons are increased acrobatic skills and lack of knowledge. It is fairly simple to become a cheer coach, and no prior experience is needed. This time, the point of impact was directly on top of her skull. While we are not in favor of the sometimes recommended scare tactic methods of warning athletes of dangers (dont create self-fulfilling prophecy psychology), there is no doubt that cheerleaders would be safer if they understood that safety practices are never to be bypassed. There is a trust there that is not easily broken, as with a dedication to your team. I was totally against it at first, but obviously now Im thankful that I went, Nodar said. She also struggled with writing, forgetting how to spell simple words, and would confuse letters like b and d., The look that Lisa described on the day she picked Alexa up after the third concussion was a look that haunted her for months, That blank stare. An injury is deemed catastrophic if it causes permanent spinal injury and paralysis. Nodars family was initially hesitant when she decided to return to the sport, but they eventually warmed up to the idea. It definitely taught me a lot, the accident, so theres a plus side to it for sure, she said. Cronkite News is produced by the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; } Janelle Nodar, a former cheerleader at Lenape High School in Medford, New Jersey, broke her neck at practice. Alexa had to return to the doctor frequently to monitor her improvements. So too has the number of accidents. While practicing a stunt before a basketball game, she was struck in the face by a flyer. Heres to the people who say cheerleading isnt a sport and that cheerleaders arent athletes., 174). She, Cheerleading can be a dangerous sport if you don't follow the proper rules and it is important to know what you are doing someone gets injured. And thats no slight to football players.. Which presidential candidates raised the most from April through June? Cheerleading: the most dangerous sport for females - Cronkite News The cheerleaders compete at compititions against other teams. In professional gyms, coaches are specialists. She was injured while cheerleading -- an athletic activity some say is now among the most dangerous for young girls. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? In conclusion, these sports shouldnt be banned in schools because dodgeball teaches mental and physical skills, in cheer there are coaches who are trained and certified, and in football more teachings about techniques means less, and watch the 2016 Olympics because it is officially competing in them ! All rights reserved. Why is cheerleading considered so dangerous? Upon return, Alexa was kicked in the temple again. Both said it should be considered a sport but they also think its already pretty safe. I think it's just the way cheerleading and cheerleaders are portrayed in movies is why cheerleading comes off as so creepy. Thats more than four times higher than in 1980, when cheerleading was tamer. Unfortunately, there is not much you can do to prevent this kind of injury as it was a pure accident that they landed that way. That gym, I went to because theyre very on top of everything. It is currently growing in popularity among males and females in the U.S.. Over the years, Cheerleading has gotten more recognition for its hard work, but is still not known as a legal sport. I know that was the point, originally, of cheerleaders to cheer for the boys but its not my favorite thing.. VDOM DHTML tml>. This is largely because of the high risk for concussion and catastrophic injuries. Every cheerleader gets fired up when someone sparks the Is cheerleading a sport? debate. Cheer competitions changed all that as difficulty was introduced as an important factor in judging cheer competitions. Cheerleading is basically like group gymnastics with shouting. A final reason why these sports even football shouldnt be banned in school is because the more you teach younger kids about football, the less hurt they will become out on the field. Jim Lord is executive director of the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators, the largest cheerleading organization in the country. It was very traumatic, Nodar said. But after decades of these athletes being literally relegated to the sidelines, its possible that all this could change as soon as this year. You want that its a strictly competitive cheer team, that they have a number of competitions throughout the season, that they have a similar number of opportunities to compete compared to other varsity athletic programs., And while watching Cheer may convince viewers that competitive cheerleading teams like Navarro are the norm, Adams says they are not the majority of cheerleading squads in the country, most of which mainly do sideline cheer. Some moments in the series are particularly difficult to watch. You cant throw basket tosses without a foam mat, things like that, on the wood floor, Contreras said. They basically stopped the bleeding and she was still tumbling at the game that night. Although she was unaware of it at the time, she had suffered a broken nose. "In terms of safety, it's still the person in charge," says Pascale. It was like she couldnt even see you.. This leads only to an increased risk of failure and injury. In order to become eligible for the NCAA, a sport needs to meet certain requirements, including high participation numbers and sponsorships, a representative for the organization told TIME. Knowing what she knows now, Denise would not let Jordin cheer if she had to do it over again. Cheerleaders, except in competitions, perform on surfaces designed for an entirely different sport. If change is coming, it is too late for the Phommanyvongs. This increase in risky cheerleading stunts makes cheerleading one of the most dangerous sports for women and girls. Cheerleaders get injured, sometimes it is serious then other times its not. "It's scary. Anyone who has been following Chearleadings current trend understands that injuries are becoming a major problem. Lisa Kluchorosky, a sports medicine specialist who works with the academy and the National Athletic Trainers Association, said the new policy will help erase misconceptions that cheerleading is not very athletic. Many cheerleaders practice all year, which means extended exposure to injury. That's why Van Vleet keeps two EMTs on site at major cheerleading exhibitions. according to University of Oregons student-run publication. In recent years, there have been multiple lawsuits brought by former professional cheerleaders accusing their employers of underpayment and mistreatment. Why Is It So Hard to Keep Cheerleaders Safe? | BrainLine Cheerleading has gone way past doing mainly cheers and chants. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. While its second to football as the most dangerous sport over a 40-year period, data indicates that its become safer in the last two decades, NCCSIR director Kristen Kucera told TIME. Cheerleading: A Dangerous Sport - 215 Words - Internet Public Library There are logistical reasons why cheerleading is dangerous. The best way to avoid injury is to prevent them from happening. Her father agreed and said there needs to be better awareness about the rigours of cheerleading and the potential risks. Three buzzed-about beauty products we tried this week. With the brain, its a totally different way of thinking about it, Lisa said. She still has short-term memory loss and cant attend school full-time because of dizziness, headaches and other concussion symptoms. Lord says that recognizing cheerleading as a sport would not increase safety and would only complicate managing an activity that is still not primarily competitive for most cheer squads. Today, although she is about 75 percent healed, Alexa still has problems with comprehension. The Most Dangerous Female Sport: Cheerleading | Live Science She just wanted to sleep, she said of Alexa. The issue of injuries among cheerleaders doesnt discriminate between high school or club. But behind the big bows and the sparkly pompoms of the sport, another truth emerges: Cheerleading is dangerous, too. But Archie charges that the current system of recommended safety and training measures does not protect kids. They tumble, they fly and they do it all with smiles on their faces. It was the day before her high school team was traveling to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, for nationals in the spring of 2009. According to Eileen Lofrese (Macedo, 2010, para. The most common are the shoulder, elbow, ankle, and foot, and occasionally the knee, as well, he said. 7/16: CBS Weekend News CHICAGO Cheerleading isnt just jumping and waving pompoms it has become as athletic and potentially as dangerous as a sport and should be designated one to improve safety, says the leading group of pediatricians in the United States. My X-rays showed that I had broken three vertebrae in my neck, and I was actually one vertebrae away from being paralyzed from the waist down, she said. Introduction Cheerleading is a popular high school and collegiate sport, but it is often considered dangerous. [The industry] is making good strides in trying to modify risk and decrease risk, but theres always still more work that can be done, Sweeney says. What should you say to earn some respect? A study ranked cheerleading as the 16th most dangerous sport. Upon arriving at the hospital, they learned of her injuries and transported her by ambulance to a nearby hospital for further evaluation. "They went too far. Cheerleading should be recognized as a sport because it requires a lot of physical and mental strength, demands a lot of training time, and meets the criteria of a legal sport., When asked the question, How has cheerleading been an impact on your life? many responses come to mind. The Delphi | Why cheerleading is a sport "It still goes down to that individual that is standing on that floor watching those cheerleaders.". "Too far," said Patty Phommanyvong's father, Say Phommanyvong. As Cheerleaders Soar Higher, So Does the Danger "Nightline" asked him whether cheerleading is safe. She, like many others, returned to the beloved sport after an injury that kept her sidelined. Injuries have increased as cheerleading has become more popular.