Varsity cheerleader and youth cheerleading
Cheerleading is a sport with organized routines and stunts that can last one minute or up to three minutes. Dance, tumbling, jumps, stunts and cheers are used to direct the spectators of a sport or event to cheer as well as be entertained.
Cheerleading draws attention to an event and encourages audients participation and excitement. Originating in the United States, cheerleading, while predominantly American, has expanded globally. Much of the reason for the global interest in cheerleading is due to the broadcast of cheerleading competitions and films that portray cheerleading in both the youth cheerleading and varsity cheerleader levels.
There are several types of cheerleading teams in the world today including school sponsored squads, youth leagues/athletic associations, and all star cheerleading. The school sponsored teams may be middle school, high school or even college teams.
Often there will be two completely different squads in each school with one squad being the more experienced varsity cheerleader squad. Just as other school teams have a junior varsity and a varsity team based on skill and experience, cheerleading is no different.
Generally both squads will perform for a major game putting on half time entertainment. Other times the varsity squad will attend and cheer for the varsity sports team. College level cheerleading squads are often chosen for audition from the best of the countries varsity cheerleading squads.
Youth cheerleading leagues or athletic associations are often sponsored by organizations that also sponsor youth basketball or football teams and is not associated with a particular school. One example of this would be the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA).
An all star cheerleading squad is not associated with a school or a sports league and do not cheer at games. Instead the main focus of the all star cheerleading squad is competition. Teams of this type first started popping up in the 1980’s with the first squad to call themselves all stars and go to competition were the Q94 Rockers.
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