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With some questionable health advice being posted by your friends on Facebook, politicians arguing about the state of the American healthcare system and a new medical study being summarized in just a sentence or two on TV---that seems to contradict the study you heard summarized yesterday---it can be overwhelming to navigate the ever-changing landscape of health news.

National Cheerleading Safety Month

2-4-6-8 Who do we appreciate? Maybe not the cheerleaders. Many of them are often told that cheering is not a real sport.  

In 2016, The International Olympic Committee gave cheerleading provisional recognition and a new breed of competitive cheerleading, called STUNT, has been created as part of the NCAA’s emerging sports initiative. If those governing bodies’ acknowledgements of the sport don’t convince you, maybe the fact the rates of severe injuries from cheerleading are similar to other high school sports, will.

However, Cheersafe.org has been working to make cheerleading one of the safer sports and it has experienced a major reduction in injuries in recent years, thanks to increased regulation and coach training.

If your child is interested in this sport, Cheersafe recommends asking the following before signing them up for a team or tryout:

• Is the coach certified through the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators
• Has the school conducted the appropriate background checks?
• Does the coach ensure that performance skills are taught in the proper sequence using skills progression training?
• Do they place an emphasis on training all squad members in proper spotting methods?
• Does the coach properly balance practice time between athletic training and spirit leadership instruction
• Does the squad have an emergency plan in place?

Resources:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kristidosh/2016/12/21/is-cheerleading-a-sport-the-ioc-ends-the-debate/#1e71359f4526

https://www.cheersafe.org/about/national-cheerleading-safety-month/

Dr. Brooke Hildebrand Clubbs is an assistant professor in the Department of Leadership, Middle & Secondary Education. She writes for special publications of The Southeast Missourian and is a certified Community Health Worker.
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