| Anyone who has been following Chearleading's | | | | coaches and their cheerleaders. For example, look up |
| current trend understands that injuries are becoming | | | | coaching football in a book store and you will see a |
| a major problem. From 1990-2002, research has | | | | great variety of books at your disposal. Do the same |
| shown injuries in cheerleading to have doubled (This is | | | | for cheerleading and the selection becomes limited. |
| with an 18 percent growth). Also, a study published in | | | | Even worse, most cheerleading books do not stress |
| the journal Pediatrics estimates 208,800 young | | | | the importance of safety enough.Do to these limited |
| people ages 5 to 18 were treated at U.S. hospitals | | | | resources, many coaches and cheerleaders wind up |
| for cheerleading-related injures during the 13-year | | | | trying to replicate a tumbling pass or acrobatic lift |
| period. Most of the injuries were suffered by 12- to | | | | (stunt) they saw somewhere else. This leads only to |
| 17-year-olds; nearly 40 percent were leg, ankle and | | | | an increased risk of failure and injury. Every tumbling |
| foot injuries.How have these injuries increased so | | | | pass and acrobatic lift (stunt) has its required |
| much in 13 years? The two reasons are increased | | | | technique and spotters (the people who insure the |
| acrobatic skills and lack of knowledge. Cheerleading | | | | safety of the participant).Paul Hopkins has been |
| has gone way past doing mainly cheers and chants. | | | | cheerleading for over seven years. During this time |
| Now it has moved into doing complex tumbling | | | | he has been a part of teams at the high school, |
| passes and various acrobatic lifts (stunting). As | | | | college, and professional levels. On top of that he has |
| always, as the skill level goes up, the risk of injury | | | | taught numerous clinics and privates to cheerleaders |
| follows.Unfortunately, the skill level is risng while the | | | | of all ages; including Pro team members. Some of his |
| knowledge of proper saftey requirements is falling. | | | | awards include a 24th place at partner stunt nationals. |
| There is a general lack of information out there for | | | | |