Competitive Cheerleading as a Sport

In 2003, the University of Maryland became the first Division I NCAA institution to recognize competitive cheerleading as a varsity sport. And what does that mean exactly? It means these athletes have the same benefits as other campus athletes — a coaching and medical staff; locker rooms; help with academics; and help dealing with the press. Currently, Maryland provides 12 full scholarships to competitive cheerleaders.

Defining Competitive Cheerleading as a Sport

First we must define competitive cheerleading as a sport. Competitive cheerleading is similar but is not the same as the cheerleaders you see on the sidelines of your local high school football game or basketball game. And it certainly isn’t anything like what the professional football teams have. These professional cheerleaders more closely resemble dance companies. Competitive cheerleading squads compete against other schools in cheerleading competitions where they perform high-risk routines under high-pressure circumstances.

Competitive cheerleaders have had to endure skepticism from the general population. Many Americans fail to distinguish it from the sideline shows the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders put on. When in fact, the entire squad is rated on how they perform as a unified body, and on their athletic feats.

Today, more than 200,000 high-school and college students attend cheerleading camps each year; at least 15 percent of them participate in competitions. You can even see some of the national competitions on ESPN. The sport is growing at an accelerated rate.

Will Cheerleading Become an Official Olympic Sport?

There is an ever-increasing hue and cry for cheerleading to be included as an Olympic sport. But what are some of the attributes which might make cheerleading appealing to the Olympic committee and what are some of the pitfalls?

Cheerleaders are fine athletes, to begin with. The amount of time spent training and the conditioning required surely fits the Olympic ideal for athletes. The injuries that cheerleaders often sustain mirrors the same as that of many other events already included as Olympic sports. A high level of cheering skill is exhibited throughout the known cheerleading universe. If curling can be an Olympic sport why not include cheerleading?

Problems with Cheerleading Becoming an Olympic Sport

One of the problems for cheerleading as an Olympic sport is that the judging of the competitions will no doubt be somewhat subjective. Judged events can often lend to controversy. We have already seen in other judged Olympic sports such as figure skating and ice dancing just how biased judges can be.

Another problem is that while cheerleading is a huge sport in the United States and Canada, it is still developing throughout the remainder of the world. It seems that many more countries would have to support cheerleading for there to be any significant international competition. However, it’s fun to imagine the array of cheerleading uniforms and cheerleading chants from countries across the world if cheerleading did become an Olympic sport!

Cheerleading Auditions – Tips and Pointers for Your Next Cheer Audition

If there are cheerleading auditions in your future check out these tips and pointers for cheerleaders of all ages:

Cheerleading Auditions for High School Cheerleading

  1. Brush up on your gymnastic moves. If you haven’t had a cheerleading gymnastics class before, take one now! Cheerleading is a physically demanding sport, and the sooner you know the basic tumbles, flips, and cheerleading jumps the better.
  2. Get a copy of the requirements and the general information for the audition. Be sure you meet their qualifications and that you are willing to commit to the responsibilities involved.
  3. Be on time! Showing up late to an audition indicates to the judges a lack of commitment.
  4. Always warm-up. Before you start your routine, make sure that you have warmed up those muscles.
  5. Always look the judges in the eye. This will help you win points.
  6. Remember to smile. Judges want to see a confident competitor.
  7. Energy is essential in a cheerleading audition. Don’t be overly enthusiastic that it becomes annoying.

High School Cheerleading Stunts

Being a high school cheerleader is harder than most think. Many think that it is all about glamour and pom-poms, but they just don’t get it. It is about endless hours of training, cheering at games, more training and competing, and all without a thank you or cheer from the crowd. It is a tough sport that gets more and more competitive each year. That is why there are so many new high school cheerleading stunts out there. Each school is trying to make a name for them by creating a stunt that will blow their minds. As the stunts get harder and harder, they get even more dangerous. There are certain safety techniques that cheerleaders must understand before performing any stunts.

High school cheerleading has become more popular over the past few decades. As with any sport, the more competitors mean the more accidents. In 2004, there was a girl that was killed by a cheerleading stunt. It sparked media frenzy across the nation, showing the dangers of cheerleading. Since then, there has been a complete turn around in cheerleading. Instead of performing the hardest stunts without little technique or safety precautions, each stunt is studied to make sure that it is safe enough. High school cheerleading stunts have become more difficult, but they have also become safer. They are required to have more bases and backups so that they can ensure the safety of the cheerleaders. There are a few tips that you want to think about before sending your cheerleader off to competition or practice:

    • Make sure that the cheerleading coach is certified and trained for the job.
    • Read the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Advisors’ safety guidelines.
    • Be sure that the cheerleaders practice and perform with a trained coach at all times.
    • Make sure that the cheerleaders know their level of cheering. Do not let them perform at a higher level when they have not mastered the level below.
    • Warm-up exercises and stretches are vital before and after practice
    • If your child injures themselves, make sure that they get the proper medical care.
  • Make sure that the cheerleaders surrounding your child are well informed of these tips

High School Cheerleading Stunts

Being a high school cheerleader is harder than most think. Many think that it is all about glamour and pom-poms, but they just don’t get it. It is about endless hours of training, cheering at games, more training and competing, and all without a thank you or cheer from the crowd. It is a tough sport that gets more and more competitive each year. That is why there are so many new high school cheerleading stunts out there. Each school is trying to make a name for them by creating a stunt that will blow their minds. As the stunts get harder and harder, they get even more dangerous. There are certain safety techniques that cheerleaders must understand before performing any stunts.

High school cheerleading has become more popular over the past few decades. As with any sport, the more competitors mean the more accidents. In 2004, there was a girl that was killed by a cheerleading stunt. It sparked media frenzy across the nation, showing the dangers of cheerleading. Since then, there has been a complete turn around in cheerleading. Instead of performing the hardest stunts without little technique or safety precautions, each stunt is studied to make sure that it is safe enough. High school cheerleading stunts have become more difficult, but they have also become safer. They are required to have more bases and backups so that they can ensure the safety of the cheerleaders. There are a few tips that you want to think about before sending your cheerleader off to competition or practice:

    • Make sure that the cheerleading coach is certified and trained for the job.
    • Read the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Advisors’ safety guidelines.
    • Be sure that the cheerleaders practice and perform with a trained coach at all times.
    • Make sure that the cheerleaders know their level of cheering. Do not let them perform at a higher level when they have not mastered the level below.
    • Warm-up exercises and stretches are vital before and after practice
    • If your child injures themselves, make sure that they get the proper medical care.
  • Make sure that the cheerleaders surrounding your child are well informed of these tips

Cheerleading Mats

Imagine a cheerleader being thrown ten to fifteen feet in the air with nothing but cement under them. This would be horrible if they were not caught and then landed on the ground. This is a move that cheerleaders do every day and luckily cheerleading mats have been developed for such stunts.

Although a majority of the time they are only used during practice, cheerleading mats give the cheerleaders the freedom to do the tumbling and stunts with the knowledge that if they fall, there will be comfort below them.

What Makes Cheer Mats Different

For those of you who think a mat is a mat, think again! There are many different sizes, thicknesses, and styles of mats. The most common is mat comes in either a 4’x6′, 4’x8′, 5’x10′ or 6’x12′ length with a thickness of approximately 1 ½” to 2 ½”. This is a mat that many manufacturers keep in stock and is typically divided into either four or six 2′ sections that allow for the mat to fold for ease of storage. The inside of most mats consists of cross-link polyethylene foam. The cover is typically manufactured out of a coated polyester/vinyl fabric. This allows for the best puncture and tears resistance. Another great cosmetic benefit is that these mats typically come in a variety of colors. The list price formats such as these can range anywhere from $250 all the way up to $700 or more. It all depends on the size of the mat and the material used in manufacturing.

Yummy Lix Round Lollipops Fundraising

Yummy Lix Round Lollipops are our #1 selling lollipop. They come in an assortment of all your favorite flavors. Yummy Lix Round Lollipops are packaged in cases of 640 pops. Inside the case are 8 packages. Each package contains  80 lollipops. You will make 50% profit selling just one case. Shipping is free!

What You Should Know

Yummy Lix Round  Lollipops offer the same profit regardless of the number of cases that you purchase. Sell the lollipops for two times the cost. Meaning, you double your investment no matter how many cases you purchase. Here is a quick profit chart for you to review:

Profit and Cost

  • In hand products
  • Free shipping
  • Start in under a minute
Cases Bought Cost Per Case Profit %
1 min $320.00 50%
Specialty Popcorn Fundraising

Make your supporters feel extra special with Specialty Popcorn Fundraising. By offering only the best bags of gourmet popcorn you providing a product that people truly like. This popcorn comes come in six delectable flavors. It is also gluten-free, MSG-free, and made with Non-GMO corn. Your group will make a 50% profit and can even qualify for free shipping.

What You Should Know

There is no money required upfront for this popcorn fundraiser. We provide free brochures, order forms, and cash collection envelopes. You pay us after you sell your popcorn. This way allows you to use the money you’ve collected to pay for your order.

When you place your order, Easy Fundraising Ideas will calculate the cost of your order based on the profit percentage you earned. You will pay us that amount of money and keep your profit.

Profit and Cost

  • No upfront cost
  • Free brochures for your participants
  • Free shipping (orders of 150 items or more)
  • Start in under a minute
Items Bought % Profit Free Shipping
150 plus 50% YES
1 to 149 50% No
Tennis Golf scratch card

Golf scratch card fundraisers are one of the best golf fundraising ideas.  Whether you are fundraising for golf tournaments or to cover other expenses, golf scratch cards provide a high-profit donation program to help meet your needs. The graphics on these cards make them wonderful tennis fundraisers too!

What You Should Know

Here is an example of the coupon page you give to the people as a “Thank You” for participating. You can create a custom coupon handout with your town’s unique businesses.

As you can see from the profit chart below the lowest profit percentage you will make from using scratch cards for fundraisers is 85%. There are, however, price breaks that can increase your profit percentage. The more cards you purchase the higher your profit potential for each card. The profits and profit percentages shown are based on successfully having all 50 dots scratched off on your scratch card:

 

  • In-hand products
  • Free shipping
  • Start in under a minute
Cards Bought Cost Per Card Each Card Raises Your Profit $ Your Profit %
100 $5.00 $100.00 $9,500 95%
25 $7.00 $100.00 $2,325 93%
10 $10.00 $100.00 $900 90%
1 min. $15.00 $100.00 $85 85%
Merry Lollipops Image

You will increase your lollipop sales during the holiday season with these great Christmas Lollipops. They are packaged in cases of 640 fundraising lollipops. Inside the case are 8 packages with each package containing 80 lollipops. You will make 50% profit selling just one case. And shipping is free

What You Should Know

Christmas Lollipops and all of our lollipop fundraisers offer the same profit regardless of the number of cases that you purchase. You will sell the lollipops for two times the cost of the lollipops. In other words, you will double your investment no matter how many cases you purchase. Here is a quick profit chart for you to review:

Profit and Cost

  • In-Hand Products
  • Free Shipping
  • Start in under a minute
Cases Bought Cost Per Case Profit %
1 min $320.00 50%
Coffee backpacks fundraiser

Be your own barista with a coffee backpack fundraiser. Instead of pre selling coffee, order backpacks filled with 52 packets of assorted flavored coffee. It’s a double shot of goodness because sellers keep the backpacks as prizes. Sell each coffee packet, which makes a full pot of coffee, for $1 each. You can purchase as little as one case, containing 9 backpacks.

What You Should Know

Coffee fundraising profits are determined based on the number of cases of coffee that you sell. The more cases you purchase the lower your cost per case. Take a look at the profit chart below for more details:

Profit and Cost

  • In-hand products
  • Free shipping
  • Start in under a minute
Cases Bought % Profit Cost Per Case
10 or more 48% $245.00
5 – 9 41% $279.00
2 – 4 36% $300.00
1 31% $325.00
School Fundraiser

School Fundraising Made Easy

If you feel that selecting the best school fundraising idea is a daunting task, don’t worry! Since it seems the gap between school budgets and funding required for extracurricular programs is getting larger every year, the need for profitable school fundraisers is growing.

Sports Fundaising Ideas

Sports Fundraising Ideas That Win

Sports fundraising goes hand-in-hand with playing sports. Whether you are a basketball, football, soccer, or cheerleading organization, we have fundraisers that will score big money for your team.

Church Fundraisers

Church Fundraisers Move the Spirit

Top Church Fundraisers by Group

Non-profit fundraisers

Non-Profit Fundraising for Charity

Top Non-Profit Fundraising Ideas by Group

More Interesting Reading:

7 Steps to a Successful Candle Fundraiser

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If you are in the process of planning some fundraising for cheerleaders, then you’re likely just coming to the point where you are trying to decide which fundraising activities you should consider. How will you know which fundraising for cheerleaders activity is the right one for your squad? Honestly, there is no right answer to Read More »

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Economic times are tough right now, and cheerleaders are in just as tight a situation as any other school activity or club. If you have a cheerleader in your family, you’ve probably already been introduced to the world of cheerleader fundraising, because it is quite an expensive sport, and cheerleader fundraising is the best way Read More »

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Is your squad tired of doing the same fundraiser over and over, each year? Well there is a new cheerleading fundraiser available that will help you raise lots of money for new uniforms, travel fees, and any other type of expense you might face. Money savings cards are the newest fundraising program. A money savings Read More »

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You’re probably already well aware that cheerleading fundraisers are a fact of life for most squads. Cheerleading is not the world’s most inexpensive sport by a long shot. Someone has to pay for those uniforms and travel expenses, and since school seems to be increasingly unable to fund such programs, it’s up to your cheerleading Read More »

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Join the thousands of boys and girls, men and women who want to learn cheerleading. Cheerleading is not as easy as it looks. Learning to be a cheerleader takes a lot of hard work, hours of practice, and dedication by the cheerleader and also their family and friends.

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Have you ever used muscles that have not been used in a while? You might really feel the muscles during the usage. Certainly, though, without a good warm-up period, you will definitely feel it the next day. Imagine how much more important it is when doing strenuous activities like those performed regularly in cheer routines. Read More »

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