Need New Cheerleading Uniforms?

After four years with the same uniform it was time for our school to invest in new ones.
We started off asking for sponsors to help offset the cost of the uniforms. Depending on the amount of their donations we offered various ways of advertising their company such as having their logo printed on the back of the warm up suits or on the gym bags the girls brought to every competition. This helped offset the cost of the uniforms immensely. For our team we were able to purchase a practice uniform which was a basic t-shirt with the school logo and shorts in the school colors. A warm up track suit that was to be worn to and from every competition along with a matching gym bag to carry all their essentials, shoes and of course the new uniforms.
There are many different styles of uniforms available to choose from. Keep in mind the size of the girls and boys on the team and look for uniforms that will be flattering for all shapes and sizes. You want the team to look great and to also feel great in them. They will not carry themselves with confidence if they feel self-conscious in the uniform. All the uniforms must match unless there are boys on the team and then they would wear matching pants. You can choose from tops with or without long sleeves, a second top overtop which has the team logo on, and tops that show the midriff. If they have a skirt matching spankies are worn underneath or they can have skorts. The skirts must have enough flare to them that the team is able to do jumps and tumbling without any restraints. The uniform should fit with a little breathing room otherwise you will notice some on the team always pulling down their tops or skirts.
Choose fabric that is very durable, flexible and breathes well. They teams work very hard during their routine and get quite hot.
Shoes should have good ankle support and allow the feet to breath. The should also be lightweight and comfortable. Some shoes come with little inserts that can be placed along the side of the shoe to add a splash of your team color.
The most important thing is that you allow enough time for the uniforms to arrive before any competitions as there will always be some type of alteration needing to be made to at least one of the uniforms.
Marci Bartlett is a cheerleading mom in Alberta.

Cheerleading Stunts

By Ken Marlborough
Have you ever seen a cheerleader in action? One cannot help but admire the execution of the different stunts done ever so flawlessly. Cheerleading has evolved from clapping and pom pom waving to the intricate, gymnastic routines we see today. There are cheerleading clinics that train cheerleaders how to execute their stunts properly and effectively.
Among the cheerleading stunts perfected throughout the years are toe touches, pikes, hurdlers and herkies. Toe touch is the most popular stunt and the easiest to execute. It’s done by making one clean jump with both legs spread in the air while the hands touch the toes. The least favourite is the “pike,” because one virtually has to fold their body in half while in mid air. Stomach muscles have to be strong in order to jump high and perform the stunt.
Tumbling is also a big part of cheerleading. It includes back tucks, back handspring, back walkovers, cartwheels, aerials and round offs. The easiest is the cartwheel, as almost all kids are required to this in physical education classes.
Aside from the spectacular stunts performed, cheerleaders are also responsible for spotting and catching their teammates who do the potentially dangerous stunts. If teammates are not caught properly inuries that could have been easily avoided, may result in serious injuries. As a matter of fact, there was a reported fatality of a teen who landed facedown and consequently died on the way to the hospital. Cheerleading stunts should always be performed with the supervision of an expert.
Cheerleading provides detailed information on Cheerleading, Cheerleading Uniforms, Cheerleading Cheers, Cheerleading Stunts and more. Cheerleading is affiliated with Gymnastics Instructions.
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Cheerleading Cheers

By Ken Marlborough
Practice makes perfect in cheerleading. Aside from practicing the routines, memorizing chants and cheers are also important. To strengthen a cheerleader's voice it is recommended that they lie on their stomach while belting out cheers. This helps sound resonate from the stomach rather from the throat.
A cheerleading cheer should always be performed energetically and lively. The cheers should motivate and pump up the crowd. They should be catchy and simple and encourage audience participation.
A cheer should also motivate athletes to perform at their best. Cheerleaders are in the front lines, so to speak, and they promt the crowd to cheer their team on. Nothing beats hearing a stadium full of people chanting their team's name as a motivational tool.
Another important part of a cheerleader's skill set is diction. Nobody likes to hear mumbled words; they sounds lazy and dull. People respond best when the words are articulated clearly and belted strongly. The voice is a metaphore of physical strength, which is the psychological reason behind cheerleading for sports teams in the first place.
There are a number of classic cheers to be used in cheerleading, or cheerleading squads can make up their own. No matter what is decided upon, it is the level of commitment that will determine the success of the cheers.
When a cheerleading squad is robust and enthusiastic, any sports team will be galvanized by their presence. Without a cheerleading squad, the players have little but their own willpower to keep them going. A mixture of both will bring wins.
Cheerleading provides detailed information on Cheerleading, Cheerleading Uniforms, Cheerleading Cheers, Cheerleading Stunts and more. Cheerleading is affiliated with Gymnastics Instructions.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ken_Marlborough