March 2017 is Cheerleading Safety Month! Since 2015, she has been a program director and cheerleading coach for Sharks Elite Cheer in Warrington, UK. If at team chooses not to wear the masks during warm ups and performance, it is highly recommend that they put them back on when they are not on the mat. Practice Cheerleading Safety Every Time You Participate in the Sport. Know the rules for your school, college or all-star division/level. The activity is highly athletic, incorporating elements of dance, gymnastics and physical stunts. The results show, among other things, that cheer's total catastrophic injuries were cut in half from 2005 to 2006*, and that cheerleading's injuries per 100,000 participants is only 2.0, significantly less than the figures for popular women's sports such as gymnastics. Cheerleaders should also be responsible for following at least six safety precautions: 1. Safety First! Safety Guidelines for Tumbling; Spotting and Cheerleading Safety; Spotting Guidelines for Cheerleading, Cheerleading Skill Progression; Guidelines for Assessing Body Awareness: Qualification Sheet- Partner Stunts, 2009 -10 AACCA Cheerleading Safety Rules- College; 2009 -10 AACCA Cheerleading Safety Rules-High School; College Spirit Program Please use safety precautions when using masks to stunt or tumble- masks could slip and cover the eyes. Always use gymnastic mats to ensure a softer landing from a fall or drop during a stunt. View article at http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/819213 Like other athletic activities, safety precautions can help prevent injuries. What types of injuries are most common in cheerleading? As a coach you're responsible for the safety and well being of your team members. While not as frequent as injuries in other sports, cheerleading injuries tend to be more severe, making up more than half of … Find a cheer camp near you. Cheer teams are one of the groups that are taking extra precautions. 4. What you can and should do is take certain precautions to keep everyone safe, to make the likelihood of injury as insignificant as possible. Dekker, S. Foundations of Safety Science (2019) p. 128. By using the spotting drills, stunt progression and proper techniques in the stunts, you can feel more confident in your team's skills. Cheerleading Safety Information: Safety First! Know the rules for your school, college or all-star division/level. More: Conditioning Exercises for Cheerleaders. The results show, among other things, that cheer's total catastrophic injuries were cut in half from 2005 to 2006*, and that cheerleading's injuries per 100,000 participants is only 2.0, significantly less than the figures for popular women's sports such as gymnastics. Of course, in any athletic undertaking, accidents and injuries happen—and as the coach, you can’t beat yourself up about that. ... Cheerleading Injuries and Safety A website with the precautions that should be taken before beginning cheerleading and reason for those precautions. Prior to this, she ran Knights American Cheer, which she founded in 2008. Overall, Cheer safety is a crucial part in the sport. Western Wayne Cheerleaders are well educated about this topic in order for our squad to stay injury-free. "Right now cheerleading is the least regulated and most extreme high school activity." Because it combines both stunting and gymnastics, there are many opportunities for accidents if the proper precautions aren’t taken. Plus, in recent years, nearly all of the 75 major spirit organizations have issued some type of safety rules or guidelines. Safety is a big concern in all sports and cheerleading is no exception. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that cheerleading led to 16,000 “With the current explosion of participation in cheerleading at all levels, it is paramount that parents, coaches and cheerleading organizations continue to put safety at the forefront of the sport,” says Dr. Jeff Dugas, medical director of USA Cheer and fellowship director at the American Sports Medicine Institute. "We hope that will translate into equal safety precautions for all sports across the board," Archie said. Cheerleading has changed a lot over the years. Cheerleading injuries send thousands of patients to the emergency room every year. To help stay on track and avoid injury, it is important to take precautions before you ride and respond appropriately to injuries. Among the group's key recommendations: designating cheerleading as a sport, so participants will be afforded the same safety benefits available to … While we often think of them as being nothing more than entertainment on the sidelines, cheerleaders serve a vital role, and the stunts […] Hosts should allow a recovery area for after the performance if possible. While we often think of them as being nothing more than entertainment on the sidelines, cheerleaders serve a vital role, and the stunts they … is the latest of a number of safety initiatives that Cheerleading’s governing bodies have implemented in past years. We have a deep commitment to the safety of cheerleaders. Football Most football injuries aren’t serious — nine in 10 do not require surgery, one national study shows. And although cheerleading isn’t typically considered a risky sport, severe injuries can result from participation. Pediatricians call for cheerleading precautions as injuries. is the latest of a number of safety initiatives that Cheerleading's governing bodies have implemented in past years. The AACCA offers the most comprehensive safety training in the nation for cheerleading Christy Mitchinson is a former writer for ThoughtCo who contributed articles on cheerleading for more than two years. For participants, it is a physically demanding and high-adrenaline sport. Precautions and safety measures It may be possible to reduce risk by replacing materials, chemicals, equipment or methods with something that is less hazardous. Enforcing safety precautions during discus, shot put and javelin practice and competition, including the fencing off of the back and sides of the discus circle ; Cheerleading, Spirit & Cheer . Motocross is an exciting and increasingly popular sport with national and international audiences, highly-trained athletes, and loyal fans. Safety First! is the latest of a number of safety initiatives th at Cheerleading's governing bodies have implemented in past years. help parents understand the right questions to ask of ... everywhere by training coaches who are competent in all aspects of cheerleading and proper safety precautions and measures. Hosts should allow a recovery area for after the performance if possible. Safety always has to be the top priority. legal duty or responsibility to take certain safety precautions is generally commensurate with the foreseeable risk of serious injury associated with a given activity. In addition to the above injury prevention tips, it is strongly recommended that there be a set of uniform and universally enforced rules and regulations directed at increasing the safety of cheerleading. In the Davidson case described herein, the risks associated with a particularly dangerous cheerleading While cheerleading is meant to support an athletic team, its intense competitions at the high school and collegiate levels have created a whole new dynamic, including increased risk for injury. Perform stunts, tumbling and routines only on appropriate surfaces. During the cheerleading training program, coaches will focus on how to go about teaching many of the key fundamentals of cheerleading, enhance their knowledge and teaching skills to help guide the cheerleaders in a safe environment, fun and rewarding experience. 3. What Cheerleaders Should Do Cheerleaders should also be responsible for following at least six safety precautions: 1. is the latest of a number of safety initiatives that Cheerleading's governing bodies have implemented in past years. Cheerleading Safety This website discusses the reasons for injuries in cheerleading and ways to prevent them and make the sport safer. Safety First! Read the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Advisors’ safety guidelines and the National Federation of State High School Associations’ Spirit Rule Book. Please use safety precautions when using masks to stunt or tumble- masks could slip and cover the eyes. In 1987, when we felt that cheerleading did not have adequate safety precautions in place, Varsity founded the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators (AACCA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating safety standards and guidelines for cheerleading coaches. When learning new skills, cheerleaders should take the following safety precautions: Practice in an area that has enough space, away from potential dangers such as walls, pillars, or crowds. 2. Limiting stunts; e.g. It is probably the most exciting and upbeat sport out there, but if not for safety, there would be no cheerleading. Today cheerleading is a very vigorous activity, which includes gymnastics, tosses, partner stunts and pyramid building. Ensure that your squad has an emergency action plan and has practiced it. Because it combines both stunting and gymnastics, there are many opportunities for accidents if the proper precautions aren’t taken. "On a local level, everyone involved must be sure safety precautions are in place — athletic directors, coaches, parents, the girls themselves," says Jim Lord, executive director of the cheerleading coaches' association. Safety is a big concern in all sports and cheerleading is no exception. For more about the negative effects of "cheerleading for safety," we recommend a short podcast by Dr. Todd Conklin. In this way, the work/activity can be carried out at reduced risk, ideally without the need to use personal protective equipment. The cheerleading safety tips included in this guide are to . The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that cheerleading led to 16,000 emergency room visits in 2002 (the latest year for data). Sources Cited: Conklin, T. Pre-Accident Investigation Podcast Safety Moment, August 5, 2015. If you’ve ever participated, then you know that cheerleading is a highly competitive sport. It is also recommended that all cheerleading coaches be mandated to complete a safety … In a normal year, cheerleaders would get to practice, grab their poms and hit the mat, but now before they do, … Practice Cheerleading Safety by Following These Tips from a Physical Therapist! pyramids should be limited to two levels and performed on mats This article about the best ways to practice cheerleading safety was written by Dr. Marla Ranieri. 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