From the outside, all star cheer can seem like a fun sport full of pretty girls who travel statewide for competitions and go to Disney every year, and although there may be some truth behind that assumption, all-star cheer has a very dark side that need to be revealed and talked about more.
Research:
This blog is written from the standpoint of an ex-all-star cheerleader who once loved the sport but eventually got consumed by the deep, toxic side of all star cheer. I am basing it off of my experiences and the negative effects of all star cheer my teammates and I have experienced. My experiences and observations are backed up by a research experiment conducted on female college students where their mental and physical health was closely documented and evaluated as they went through 16 weeks of cheer.
The Negative Effects In Question:
Physically: All star cheer like any other club sport, requires you to stay in shape and be fully mentally and physically committed but all star cheer coaches tend to take it to a whole a whole 'nother level. I have had teammates who have competed on freshly dislocated shoulders, torn acls, and fractured ankles. None of these injuries were cleared by a doctor and my coach had little to no regard when it came to the physical wellbeing of athletes. Additionally, my coach would often stretch the flyers in barbaric, unhealthy ways and because of this, a lot of young girls like myself now have life long unnecessary aches and pains because of the sport.
Socially: All star cheer practices are mandatory and cannot be missed under any circumstance due to the nature of the sport. My old coach did not allow us to participate in school sports which forced me to quit school cheer which was something I really enjoyed. We also practiced on every holiday and I specifically remember one of my old teammates was forced to attend practice 30 minutes after her grandfather's funeral. This often leaves athletes feeling isolated and alone since they often have to quit any extracurriculars that aren’t all star cheer only see their teammates most of the time and never interact with people outside of their team/sport. In addition, it is is not that common for athletes to eventually home school so that they have more time for all star cheer.
Body Image: Most all star cheerleaders practice on a 12 panel mat in front of a 12 panel mirror. On top of practices being long and hard as is, coaches would often make remarks about our physical appearance and body image. We were often told not to eat too much. Two specific instances I remember from when I did all star cheer were when the new season started and my teammate needed a bigger size uniform but my coach refused to get her a bigger size and told her she had to fit back into her old one. The second instance being when I was dealing with really bad acne and was told that if I wanted to stay on her team and compete I would need to learn to cover up my acne better.
Mentally: All of the issues I have discussed throughout this blog often feel heavy and eventually tend to weigh down a person. The stress of the sport combined with the fear of disappointing your team often start to negatively effect other areas of your life, at least that was the case for me. The stress of all star cheer eventually turned me into a zombie and I would eat, sleep, and breath cheer for all the wrong reasons. It eventually got so bad that it started to affect my home and family life. I was spending all my time at cheer and the little time that I was at home I was sleeping the stress away. My parents got to the point where they say me down and had an intervention of sorts which really opened my eyes to just how much cheer was affecting my livelihood.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, all star cheer is a sport that from the outside, appears glamorous and exciting. However, as an ex all star cheerleader, I have firsthand seen the dark side that lies behind the glamour and excitement. The physical toll, social isolation, and detrimental impact on mental well-being are significant issues that deserve more attention and discussion.
By raising awareness and initiating these important and at time uncomfortable conversations, we can create a safer and healthier environment for all all star cheerleaders. Let us work together to flip the script and unveil the dark side of all star cheer, leading to a brighter and more positive future for this sport we love.
