Tag Archives: cheerleading

Contrary to popular belief, cheerleading is a sport, an athletic, demanding and highly competitive one at that. The sport is high on tumbling, jumps, stunts and dance and has gained popularity over the years. The team to audition for is Cheer Extreme and on the team is Maddie Gardner, one of the best all-star cheerleader in the country and since leading her team to a gold at Worlds, she is now a “cheer-lebrity” in the world of cheerleading. Maddie, having grabbed the gold for her team, is now under extreme pressure to stay on top. In her interview with CNN reporter Sandra Endo, she talks about her past experiences as well as the amount of commitment, struggles, pressure, and sacrifice the sport requires.

This video interview showcases various stunts and jumps, which I feel, properly justifies the sport and illustrates just how difficult the sport truly is. Apart from stating the seriousness of the sport, the video communicates the values associated with the sport. To further illustrate my point, cheerleading teaches its practitioners teamwork, leadership, showmanship, discipline, and simultaneously boosts confidence. Next, it also shows the audience just how much work, time and dedication is put into a 2-3 minute routine. To quote Endo, “it’s been an emotional end to a year of intense pressure and training. But practice is starting all over for the next season.”

Lastly, during the interview, Maddie tells CNN she and her team plans to secure their spot at the top, but having injured her leg just weeks before Worlds, will the team be able to stay on top? Or will they come tumbling down?