Question by CheerMom: How can I change what people think about cheerleading?
I coach competitive cheerleading & I’m not sure if it’s Florida or if the world has pre-conceived notions about the sport. I hear complaints about how expensive it is, how it’s too girly, of course I hear that it’s not a sport, or that it’s not good for kids to compete, etc. I even have people sign up & quit because they thought they’d be jumping around giggling instead of working hard.
I’m not sure how to talk to people & explain that it’s not what they seem to think. I feel like they shut me off before I start. What can I do?
Best answer:
Answer by kameneye177
You can’t change how people think. They have their own opinions and you cannot change that.
Give your answer to this question below!
Why do you care what other people think, just flip your hair and keep doing what you are doing.
Why don’t you give us an explanation of competitive cheerleading!
I would love to hear about it.
My 6 year old girl might be interested some day!
you have to show the that it is more than just jumping if they cut you off then stand up for yourself
You do not have to change their minds, nor should you try. I love the years in cheerleading I did and the girlfriends I still have from those times. Allowed me to grow up with a lot of different and very close experiences..
Kim
Cheerleading isn’t a sport, you can’t get people to change their minds, especially if they’re stubborn, like me 🙂 Cheerleading is for supporting a sport, like Football, so it’s silly having a sport supporting a sport.
We get it! Cheering’s a sport. What’s the score again? Right, it’s not competitive…oh wait, but it is. Ok, now I’m really confused.
The best way to inform arrogant me, is to make a web site all about it, and then write a book.
Make money on morons like me.
I would change how YOU feel about what other people think. Who cares? You know you’re an athlete. You know you work hard. Whatever their opinion may be, it’s not going to change how hard it work or how you feel about the sport. Don’t let it bother you and continue what you’re doing!
Rah, Rah, Rah!!! Give me 10! Give me a P! Give me an O! Give me an I! Give me an N! Give me a T! Give me an S! What’s that spell? 10 POINTS!!!!!!!!!!
I think it’s the name… Cheerleading just doesn’t cut it for me. I instantly think of blonde bimbos with pom-poms.
They should call it a different type of gymnastics or something. The stuff those girls can do… holy crap! It’s right up there with Cirque de Solei!!
But honestly, it’s the name that gives it the image. We’ve been ‘taught’ to instantly think about blonde, giggling girls with short skirts jumping around. I hope the status changes soon though. Like I said before, those girls can do some amazing stuff!
1) You keep trying.
2) Be right about other things. If they hear you talking sense about other subjects, they’ll think you’re right about cheer, too. Whereas ppl who don’t talk about anything but their pet subject come off as whackos.
3) Have them watch the Bring it On movies, or cheer competitions on ESPN/2. Those girls work, no doubt.
Cheerleading is definitely athletic.
But it’s not for everyone. The amazing stats on cheerleading injuries in the last 5 years is proof of both!
Well my advice would be to just let them quit if they want to then that’s what they will do. Don’t let it bother you. Yes, cherleading is a girly sport but if girls learn that cheerleading isn’t about giggling and jumping around then more people will sign up because they will realize that if you work hard at something you can stick to it and do a lot more things.
I saw that one person said to write a book. I think that would be a great idea. Most people’s veiw of cheerleading is that it’s a girly, giggly, jump around and clap thing. If you write about the reality of cheerleading and that it’s a lot like dance and it is competitive then more people might respect it more. Also add that the girls who are cheerleaders have other things going in their lives to make them seem more like a real kid. Compare it to sports and band and other things that require tons of practice and skill. Good luck.
I don’t think a lot of people realize how competitive and athletic cheerleading has become. I think back to when I was in high school and all the cheerleaders did back then was dance a little and kick a little and shake their pom-poms and lead cheers and look all cute and perky.
“Rah rah ree, kick ’em in the knee!
Rah rah razz, kick ’em in the other knee!”
In fact, in my high school, and I’m sure in most others at the time – this was about 25 years ago now – cheerleaders were voted on by the student body, so it was as much a popularity contest as it was anything else.
I look at the junior high and high school cheerleader squads nowadays, and I’m seeing all sorts of flips and throws and athletic stunts that they would have thought to be absolutely insane back when I was that age.
As far as what to do to explain to people what cheerleading is now as opposed to how they remember it? Perhaps when you have your sign-up nights, you could arrange to have some videos running that show competitions and what the girls will be expected to do, or have some visual of that nature, maybe even a demo or two by your current squad, so that the parents and the girls can see how cheerleading has evolved into the sport it is now, rather than the primping and giggling that it used to be.
I live in North Carolina and i go to Chaos. We have monthly competions and go to nationals at the end.
i luv it and everyone there luvs it and every1 serious about it
it is not too girly. we have a coed team
tell them that if they want to come off the floor confident, feeling like they did NOT make a total fool of themselves, then they have to work their butts off at practice.
if we are not being serious about practice, we would always come home with burning muscles from conditioning
oh yea, it depends on how old they are 2
i compete on a junior excel level
for a truly awesome team u gotta have girls that are dedicated and serious and want to learn new stunts/tumbling
Tell them they are just jealous because they are to fat and or ugly to be cheerleaders.