Cheerleaders

Cheerleaders are athletes coming from the world of dance and gymnastics united for the passion for cheerleading (a sport that combines choreography with elements of gymnastic, dance and acrobatics).They partecipate in specific competitions to encourage teams on the playing field during matches.

Cheerleading is an Anglo-American term and means cheering, encouragement. The first demonstrations took place in the United States in 1880 when the audience sang to encourage their team.

On November 2,1898 Johnny Campbell directed the cheering of the public and today that day is considered to be the birth of organized cheerleading.

It is currently one of the most practiced sports in the United States. Cheerleaders cheer for their team when performing as a form of encouragement through chanting slogans or intense physical activity. It can be performed to motivate sports team, to entertain the public or for competition. Routines of Cheerleaders lost from about one to three minutes and contain elements of dances, jumps, fall, applause and acrobatics. Since 1997 after various television broadcasts of cheerleading competitions and the release of numerous films on the subject aimed to a young audience, cheerleading has also become famous outside the United States and it is practiced all over the world with millions of participants. On July 20, The International Olympic Committee voted in favor of granting full recognition to International Cheer Union and to Cheerleaders and this allow the sport to receive funding and special grants. Many argue that Cheerleading isn’t a sport, but it requires the same mental and physical strength as other sports.Teamwork is an integral part of cheerleaders, they work together as a unit and each cheerleader put her safety in the hands of the teammates.