Piper Welsh - Cheerleading

Content Area Vocabulary:

Read the list. What do these words mean?

cheers

choreographers

competition

hurdler

maneuver

precision

routines

spotters

squad

training

Before reading a book, it is important to tap into what your child or students already know about the topic. This will help them develop their vocabulary, increase their reading comprehension, and make connections across the curriculum.

CHEERLEADING

Written by

Piper Welsh

2014 Rourke Educational Media

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher.

www.rourkeeducationalmedia.com

PHOTO CREDITS:

Editor: Jill Sherman

Cover Designer: Tara Raymo

Interior Designer: Cory Davis

Library of Congress PCN Data

Rourke Educational Media
Printed in the United States of America,
North Mankato, Minnesota

rourkeeducationalmedia.com

PO Box 643328 Vero Beach, Florida 32964

The first question many people ask is if cheerleading is a sport or an activity that supports other sporting events. Cheerleading has changed a lot over the years. Today its known for athleticism, entertainment, and even student leadership. Both physical and mental skills are developed through cheerleading.

Competitive cheerleading requires great athleticism.

Ask any cheerleader and he or she will tell you its a sport! The skill involved, the hours of training, and the high level of competition make cheerleading a demanding discipline that is much more than just an after-school activity.

Princeton University had the first cheerleaders in 1870. They would lead the crowd in chants, fight songs, and cheers. In the 1920s, women at the University of Minnesota added tumbling . Later, professional cheerleading squads were organized for the National Football League.

Since the 1970s, Pop Warner has recognized cheerleading and conducted many successful programs for young athletes in this fast-growing activity.

Practice makes perfect. A careless mistake could result in injury.

Every cheerleading coach needs to create an environment where safety is the highest priority. In addition to its cheers and dance routines, cheerleading may include stunts that must be executed with great .

Many coaches have their teams sign a Full-Value Contract, by which squad members agree to work together, to follow safety rules, and to practice positive teamwork.

To avoid injuries, each member of a cheerleading squad must be totally committed not only to his or her own safety, but also to the safety of every other member of the squad. Spotters help guide and teach stunts and tricks. These spotters are experienced cheerleaders who also make sure no one gets injured.

Standard cheerleading includes jumps that require athletic ability, strength, and flexibility. The hurdler jump is a high, one-leg kick to the front. The kicking leg comes almost straight up. A whole line of cheerleaders doing the hurdler is an inspiring sight.

The tuck is another cheerleading jump. In this , both knees are brought to the chest while the arms shoot out to the sides in a V shape. A key to any good jump is snapping into position and holding the pose for as long as possible.