Stand Tries: Cheerleading

After breaking my knee in my first Stand Tries, I admit that it was with more than a little anxiety that I approached the second sport that I had been invited to try: Cheerleading.

My fears were hardly allayed by a series of ominous e-mails with the club’s president, Kirsty. I was told that I must have bare shins in order to try “flying”, because, as Kirsty so delicately put it, “we don’t want to break you”.

The warm-up seemed gentle enough. I was reminded of a primary school P.E. session by the various races and challenges, and the nostalgic feel was added to by the enthusiasm of the girls leading the session.

I started to feel a little out of my depth when it came to the stretching, however. Whilst those around me were grabbing the bases of their feet, heads on knees and with nonchalant expressions which belied their ease in that position, I struggled and sweated to try to get the tips of my fingers past the bottom of my ankle. Clearly, I had work to do.

To complete the warm-up, two girls led a sort of jumping/dancing routine. Despite thorough explanation, I failed to grasp even these simplest of moves – those of who you have seen me in the lizard will know that dancing is not something which comes naturally to me – and I felt a little how I imagine a beginner at a Zumba class might feel.

The video caught me a little out of time…

At this point, naturally, StandTV turned up to start videoing the session. I can only hope clips of me doing the wrong moves whole seconds out of time with the rest of the class don’t make the final cut…

Fortunately for me, the time soon came to start some proper cheerleading. Before I knew it, I was grasping one particularly brave girl’s foot in my hand as we propelled her high into the air in a series of “basic” positions which I managed to get through without endangering my life or, even better, anybody else’s.

Before long it was my turn to fly. With my life now quite literally in other people’s hands, suffice to say I was pretty nervous. I was told, under no uncertain terms, that screaming was banned at cheerleading – I would have to confine my terror to swearing and expressions of horror.

I am the first to admit that I lacked the grace of some of the others as I was lifted into the air. Encouragement was yelled from all sides, accompanied by more advice than I could possibly take in all at once.

“Don’t look down! Tense your legs! No, don’t close your eyes!”

As I was taken through some of the other basic positions and I overcame my initial horror, I slowly grew more accustomed to being supported over 5 feet in the air by two sets of shaking hands. The advice began to (slowly) sink in, and I felt less nervous with every lift. That was until, in one particularly over-zealous leap into the air, I lost my balance and toppled painfully to the ground – only the experience and quick reactions of Kirsty saved me from my second broken limb in as many Stand Tries…

To finish off the session, we had another small competition. Each group had to lift their chosen flyer to the prep position and back down on every count for as long as possible. I’d already found cheerleading a surprisingly exhausting sport, but this really finished me off. Lifting someone into the air fifty odd times in a row, even as part of a group, really was thorough exercise, and something which my sedentary Christmas had not prepared me for.

Before we left, we were treated to a little demonstration by some of the more experienced members of the group. I was bowled over by the skill on show; there were throws, somersaults, and interchanges more complex than I could even have dreamt up, never mind executed.

All in all I found the whole experience enlightening and exhilarating. The preconceived stereotypes that surround cheerleading were quickly deconstructed as I met a group of mixed-gender, hard-working athletes who work exceptionally hard to perfect what is a very difficult sport indeed.

Everybody was friendly, welcoming and not to mention patient for showing me the ropes and putting up with my incompetence and lack of natural grace required for the sport. And, after a thoroughly enjoyable hour, I can safely say that cheerleading is something I’d love to go and try out again in the future.

The cheerleading club is always on the lookout for new members of any sex, age, or sporting ability. If you’re interested in trying it out, or even joining the club long term, you can e-mail them at [email protected]. Believe me – you won’t regret it! 

If your club/society would like a reporter to come and try out your sport, e-mail us at [email protected]