Cheerleading competitions have become a very popular sporting event. Squatting cheerleaders from around the world come to show off their dance moves and routines in hopes of winning state and national recognition as well as cash prizes. Most of those who compete come from schools, but some cheerleading teams are not affiliated with any school or sport. They are trained based on their abilities, such as gymnastics, and only learn routines for the purpose of competition. This particular area has generated controversy over the labeling of cheerleading as a sport or an activity.
Major cheerleading competitions are held annually at various locations and only cheerleading teams that have done well at local events are allowed to compete. Many of these larger competitions are televised on ESPN. They also show interviews with those who compete and discuss the risk of injury involved in competitions.
With the introduction of cheerleading competitions, it has become a huge industry worth millions of dollars instead of just learning a few chants and moves to generate interest at pep rallies and sporting events. There are complicated gymnastics and dance moves involved, as well as pyramids and other exciting designs.
The amount of time and dedication involved in preparing for a cheerleading competition is incredible. Depending on the skill level involved, the team can spend up to 20 hours each week just practicing their 3 or 4 minute routine that they will perform. While that shows passion and dedication, he also has many concerns that too much time and energy is being spent on something so trivial.
The number of cheerleaders who have been injured preparing for and during a competition is growing at an alarming rate. Emergency room officials report at least 25,000 injuries each year. There have even been some deaths as a result of training for such events in rare cases.
Since the area of ​​cheerleading competition is generating huge income for those who promote it, and there are so many people willing to participate, as well as a large viewer base, I guess cheerleading competitions are here to stay. The stunts and moves involved will also become more complex and original as each team tries to come up with something that will wow the judges.