Youth cheerleading is a sport that many do not consider when thinking of youth sports. Cheerleading has been around for as long as sports have been played and teams needed motivation. Youth cheerleading is an introduction to a great sport that provides many benefits to young girls. These benefits range from building a healthy lifestyle to developing leadership and teamwork skills.
The health benefits are both physical and mental. Cheerleading, by definition, requires a cheer. The girls must perform various cheers and choreography that require them to memorize different routines. This memorization builds long-term memory over time that will be useful during their future education. Many of these cheer routines also involve lifting, jumping, clapping, and even some gymnastic skills. All of these movements use up a lot of energy. In turn, these movements will aid a cheerleader in building strength and flexibility.
Cheerleading is a very disciplined sport. This discipline is developed in multiple ways. The amount of energy and strength needed in cheerleading is developed through exercise and healthy eating. This is a discipline that if developed at an early age, will last through most of a child’s lifetime. Focus is another discipline that can be developed through cheerleading. A cheerleader must be focused on what her teammates are doing so that during the routine, another teammate is not harmed during a lift, toss, or flip. This focus will also aid a cheerleader in school. Developing focus will help a cheerleader to focus in the classroom.
Trust is very important among a cheer squad. This trust is built through teamwork. A cheerleader must be able to trust that if she is being tossed, she will be caught. Therefore, a cheer squad is truly a team effort. Over time, many of these teams form strong bonds and provide a lot of support for each other during very awkward times in a young cheerleader’s life.
Cheerleading is naturally a happy sport. It is a wonderful social outlet that requires a positive and energetic attitude. This attitude can last outside of cheerleading and can build up confidence when a young girl needs it most.
Cheerleading has been around for many years. Though it has changed and developed over those years, the benefits have stayed consistent. Teamwork, discipline, and healthy living if developed at a young age, will last through a lifetime and create a healthy, happy young woman.
Join a FYFCL youth cheerleading team near you, You be glad you did.
Kendall Kellogg is a freelance Blogger based in Orlando, FL.
Contact Kendall