Cheerleading can add a lot to your school. Click on a question below to see the answer.
Cheerleading can be treated as a sport or as a club, but cheerleaders are far more than just ordinary students. A cheerleading team can be the public face of your school, helping to represent you in the community and on campus. Cheerleaders do just what their name suggests: lead others in cheer and support. This works for football games and basketball games, but it also works around campus and the community to generate positivity and pride.
As the public face or your school, cheerleaders represent cheer and spirit. They can help welcome outside guests, like potential students and parents or district officials. This additional enthusiastic presence provides a consistent, strong representation of your school in the community.
In addition to representing school spirit, cheerleaders can actually help drive your school’s sports revenue. An effective cheerleading team can keep the crowd involved in the games, even if your team is having a losing season. Parents of cheerleaders will also buy tickets to attend sporting events to see their children’s performances.
The costs will depend on the level of the team being funded. Costs that are associated with each program differ, but the basic required costs are:
For a high school program, a typical coach’s stipend is $2,500 dollars per year. This can vary based on geographic location. Depending on the size of the program, you may want to have more than one coach.
Uniforms are expensive and usually custom fitted. They can be purchased from many different companies, but the most durable ones tend to come from Varsity. Uniform prices will vary, but quality uniforms will cost several hundred dollars per person.
Just as football requires a field to have a productive practice, cheerleading has requirements for a productive practice environment. Because cheerleading requires synchronization, it is important to have an open space free obstruction. If you expect your team to build stunts, you will need to consider the clearing height of the practice space so that cheerleaders will be unimpeded.
Practice surface is also an important consideration. Cheerleading involves lifting others, so there is a potential for falling. By providing an appropriate practice surface, you can reduce the chances and severity of injuries. Cheerleading mats come in many different varieties, but the most common is carpet bonded foam. Most carpet bonded foam is sold in 42' x 6' panels which can be rolled for storage. When rolled, each of these mats forms a 6' x 4' cylinder. In addition to purchasing the mats, you should consider storage space for them between practices.
It is important to have a qualified coaching staff because cheerleading involves potentially dangerous activities. The number of coaches you will need depends on the number of cheerleaders you expect in your program. It is best to have no more than fifteen cheerleaders to one coach. Most high school programs range from fifteen to thirty cheerleaders, so most programs will benefit from one to two coaches.
Finding qualified coaches is not easy. The easiest way is to find cheerleading programs in the area and talk to their coaches. They may be able to recommend graduates or other students who are qualified as good coaches. Another approach is to call your Varsity representative, who will know most of the programs in the area and will attempt to help you find a program. You can find your Varsity representative through their website.
When looking for a coach, it is important to check for certifications. The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Advisors (AACCA) offers a basic certification, and most qualified coaches will have this certification. Other certifications include USASF and UCA certifications. The most common is AACCA.