Building Safety into Cheerleading
by Pam Headridge

In the spring most cheer coaches choose their new cheerleading squad for the upcoming school year. During the formative team building process, coaches need to make some well informed choices about the style of their developing team. With the growth of stunting as a key element, cheerleading has developed into a very athletically demanding activity. Stunting has became very prevalent at games. An explosive basket toss adds excitement when a football player scores a touchdown. Elevating a cheerleader's sign with a two-person-high stunt, encourages the crowd to yell for their team by grabbing attention to the words on the sign. However, with the addition of stunting, coaches need to concentrate harder and wiser on training and safety. If your team is going to stunt, safety education is critical.

Establishing a safe training environment is a prime concern for a cheer coach. Even though practice facilities are often difficult to secure for a high school coach you must choose your practice space wisely. A matted space is essential. Request your school to purchase or fund raise to obtain money for a large section of a matted floor.

Another common reason for injury is lack of attention. Confusion must be eliminated. Always have only one person talking when working on a stunt. Delegate your back spotter to control the start and end of a stunt, and have no one else talking. Mental alertness is needed to keep everyone safe.

Coaches need to attend clinics, conferences, and camps to be able to teach cheerleaders the proper and safe way to stunt. A variety of spotting techniques must be taught and practiced to prevent injuries. Knowledge on the coach's part of the proper progression of a stunts is another key to safety. Squad members need to perfect proper technique and build confidence in their teammates by performing basic stunts before attempting the harder stunts seen on ESPN cheerleading competitions.

Coaches need to know the National Federation Spirit Rules and/or USASF rules. Annual changes incorporate the lessons learned from the previous season. Rules clinics are offered every year by Washington Interscholastic Activities Association usually in the later part of August, explaining what a team can and cannot do. Attendance is mandatory for all coaches so they are aware of the latest changes in safety and technique. To find the dates and locations of these rules clinics check out the Washington State Cheerleading Coaches web site.