How to become A Professional Cheerleader

Just two words put together - cheer and leader - yet, they convey a wealth of meaning. Professional Cheerleaders must master intricate and daring moves, catchy chants, and inspiring slogans through intense and disciplined effort and teamwork to successfully. Moreover, whether or not you head your team, you must display leadership qualities, be a reliable friend and role model to your colleagues, be an agile athlete, often a teacher, and always an enthusiastic learner.

• Cheerleader

• Cheerer

• Cheer Athlete

• Performer

• Stunt Cheerleader

• Crowd Leaders

• Spirit Raisers

What do Professional Cheerleaders do?

A Professional Cheerleader would typically need to:

• Perform synchronised cheers and routines, including dance, acrobatics, gymnastics, and stunts such as tumbling, from the sidelines of a game, wearing the squad uniform or costume

• Foster enthusiasm, unity, pride and spirit amongst the players during pep rallies, parades, games, timeouts, halftime, and postgame performances

• Rouse fans up from their benches when their team scores and boost their morale with cheers, chants, stunts, pyramids, and formations in adverse moments

• Collaborate with the coach to discuss strategy, game plans, and choreography for games at home or other venues, competitions or exhibitions

• Lead the squad by serving as captain or co-captain

• Demonstrate how to respect the game, players and fans

• Stay strong and flexible and keep a sense of rhythm

• Learn the national anthem and remember chants, moves, and slogans

• Follow an appropriate diet to build energy, endurance and strength to train and perform

• Train their voice in addition to belt out cheers

• Support the team emotionally by encouraging them during practices and game time and financially by selling tickets

• Uphold team traditions interests with familiar songs, chants, and cheers

• Meet attendance and academic grade requirements if studying at college or university and fulfill the requirements of your part- or full-time job or motherhood

• Participate in community outreach events, such as fundraisers for children’s hospitals or blood donation campaigns and food drives

• Take part in photoshoots for annual release-of-calendar events

When cheering sports teams, Professional Cheerleaders work on the sidelines at the sporting venue, which may be outdoors on a field or stadium, or indoors in a gym. Rehearsals for these may be conducted in gyms or indoor spaces. 

Typically, Professional Cheerleaders work with local teams at home games. However, some well-known squads travel to other venues where regional, national or international sporting competitions are held.

Professional Cheerleaders work part-time and typically have variable schedules. They may rehearse three to fours at a stretch during a rehearsal, often up to eight hours a week, but hours can be longer and include evenings, weekends and holidays during sports seasons. You would likely spend another eight hours cheering at home games. You must stay prepared to attend practices, games, and other events, such as community outreach, charity, corporate events, photoshoots and autograph signings.

Finding a new job might seem challenging. Professional Cheerleaders can boost their job search by asking their network for referrals, contacting teams directly, using job search platforms, going to job fairs, leveraging social media, and inquiring at staffing agencies. It is advisable to determine the squad you wish to join and their requirements to prepare for their auditions well in advance.

Keep in mind that professional cheerleading is not a full-time job, and you are expected to be a college student or have another job.

Professional Cheerleaders are generally employed by: 

• Sporting Events

• Football Union Leagues

• Sporting Teams

• Marketing Companies

• Private & Corporate Event Organisers

Professional associations and organisations, such as The International Cheer Union (ICU), are crucial for Professional Cheerleaders interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. Membership in one or more adds value to your resume while bolstering your credentials and qualifications.

• Physically demanding, needing the strength and flexibility of gymnasts, the grace of dancers and the stamina of athletes, and may be more challenging than some varsity sports 

• Needs massive time commitment, even years, to master tumbles, stunts and dances

• The risk of frequent and severe injuries

• The need to pay for auditions

• Intense competition for a limited number of openings on a team

• The expense of travelling to auditions and performances

• Looking your best at all times and portraying a smiling personality

• The need to have other jobs since cheerleading is considered a part-time job; not a long-term or full-time career

• May need to confront unethical behaviour or exploitation

• Abide by stringent behavioural regulations, rules regarding appearance, and appropriate conduct guidelines

• May be dismissed from the team for a small error

While formal dance training and experience may not be mandatory, you must be skilled enough to learn and perform dance routines of varying complexity. That said, jazz, hip hop, and modern dance classes will make you more agile and build your dance technique.

Shape up by going to the gym or attending a camp. If you are part of a squad, you may join clinics. Joining gymnastics, a cheerleading squad, or track classes will foster your coordination, stamina, fitness, discipline, and cheerleading abilities and vocabulary.

Typically, you begin acquiring experience through cheerleading for sports teams at school or joining an afterschool activity or gym. If you pursue a bachelor’s degree, you may enroll in a cheerleading program available at your college or university. Typically, such programs offer dance, tumbling, conditioning and nutrition classes. Your college may even provide cheerleading scholarships. Whatever academic program you are enrolled in, make sure to practise your moves daily to keep growing in expertise and confidence.

Attend workshops led by Professional Cheerleaders to receive tips on preparing for auditions. Ideally, take a few tumbling classes, begin stretching to achieve splits, and learn the basics of cheer before trying out for a place on a cheerleading team. Build your dedication and flexibility, research the history and progression of cheerleading, and watch videos of past competitions.

If you take up professional cheerleading, you will continue to acquire experience by training under their coach or choreographer and participating in cheer and dance competitions.

Interview or job shadow experts working in cheerleading to prove your commitment to course providers and prospective employers. You may get to hear countless stories from more experienced professionals and obtain valuable hands-on experience when they manage to turn seemingly routine incidents into unique learning moments. 

Aspiring Professional Cheerleaders typically hold at least a high school diploma or its equivalent and must be at least 18 years old to take part in trials. Furthermore, they must hold another part-time or full-time job, or be a parent or college/university student.

Certification demonstrates a Cheerleader’s competence in a skill set, typically through work experience, training, and passing an examination. When acquired from an objective and reputed organisation, it can help you stand out in a competitive job market. Successful certification programs protect public welfare by incorporating a Code of Ethics.

Individual government entities conduct the licensing process. It typically requires the passage of an examination in addition to the fulfilment of eligibility requirements, such as a minimum level of education, work experience, training, or the completion of an internship, residency, or apprenticeship. Check with local or national cheerleading organisations to determine whether you will need licensure. Typically, a routine that includes playing various recorded tracks needs the relevant license.

While there may not be specific height or weight requirements, make sure you fulfil any minimum or maximum age requirements to be a Professional Cheerleader. 

Performance, experience, and the acquisition of professional qualifications drive career progression. Employees with consistently high performance levels may be eligible for promotion every two to three years. 

You may join a travelling squad, which allows you to explore new cities, earn compensation, and build experience for yourself and your team. 

You may also enter sports management or broadcasting or opt for sports marketing or sponsorship and become brand ambassadors. Professional cheerleading squads may be hired to advertise or market products.

Professional Cheerleaders, who are members of dance teams that perform for professional sports teams, may find opportunities at professional cheer clubs to become Choreographers, Coaches or Managers. You may also opt to become a fitness instructor or model or even launch your dance studio.

You may enter the entertainment industry, join a dance team, become an acrobat or gymnast, or take up other related roles, either on an amateur or professional level.

Stunt cheerleaders have fewer options available but may opt to work as camp trainers, run clinics, or give private lessons, provided they have relevant credentials and experience. Other options are launching your own company and franchising your brand as a famous stunt squad.

You may also have an opportunity to work with well-known names in the entertainment industry and at professional sporting events.

Candidates with the necessary skills and experience have the best job prospects. Your endurance, fitness and flexibility, paired with teamwork and the determination to succeed, will serve you well in the job market.

Continuing professional development (CPD) will help active Professional Cheerleaders build personal skills and proficiency through work-based learning, a professional activity, formal education, or self-directed learning. It allows you to upskill continually, regardless of your age, job, or level of knowledge.

If you are already part of a team rehearsing for a competition, workshops run by other Professional Cheerleaders may give you an edge over rival teams. Seminars or workshops on public speaking, leadership and communication can help you learn how to project your voice and express your emotions. Courses in nutrition, physical fitness, and teamwork are also helpful.

Cheerleading can happen at various levels and for various purposes.

Pre-High School Cheerleaders

Aspiring Cheerleaders may get an early start by cheerleading at a pre-high school level. Participants in the age group of 5-16 may learn cheerleading essentials, such as basic motions, jumps, and stunts. Some programs may divide their participants into novice, intermediate, and advanced categories. Some organisations may teach young athletes a sport, such as football, and cheerleading at games, although not aiming at participation in cheer competitions.

High School Cheerleaders

Girls and boys of diverse age groups and varying experience levels form the core of high school cheerleading squads. High school programs typically go on for the entire year. They may incorporate several squads - freshman, junior and varsity - depending on how big the high school is and student interest in the sport. High school Cheerleaders focus on sidelines cheering instead of competition. They are spirit leaders who decorate the school for games and cheer at pep rallies.

College Cheerleading 

Both sideline cheering and competitive cheer are a part of college cheerleading, looked upon as an elite version of the sport. Participants are typically 18 and older. Most colleges have both an all-girl team and a coed team. Tryouts may be stringent and vigorous, with some colleges offering scholarships to Cheerleaders.

Stunt Cheerleading

Mastering tumbling, stunting, and other athletic cheerleading activities may take years and cannot be learned and perfected overnight or in a few trials. Stunt Cheerleaders invest significant time and effort to train and acquire specialised experience.

All Star Cheerleading - A Competition Sport

Rapidly growing in popularity, All-Star cheerleading squads do not cheer at games. Instead, they prepare to perform a 2 ½ minute routine in different competitions. The venue for their practice is typically a gym. As a result, several burnt-out or former gymnasts join the squad and are placed in the appropriate division and level. The age of the Cheerleaders determines their division, whereas the complexity of the routine decides the level. Competitions occur at the local, regional, national, and worldwide levels.

A reason for the popularity of All-Star cheerleading is its inclusive nature since participants of any age or gender are allowed into teams of typically 5 to 38 well-rounded athletes equipped with performing all parts of the routine. The routine comprises group tumbling, stunting, pyramids, jumping and a dance break. 

Stunting involves a group of two or more individuals hoisting a Cheerleader in the air. Pyramids are a form of stunting done as a large interconnected group. Group tumbling includes cartwheels and back handsprings. Choreographed high-energy dance moves make up the dance break. 

Music provides the backdrop to the complex choreography and intricate moves. Judges rate the routines based on difficulty, execution, creativity, and showmanship.

Athletes train all year round in physical fitness and learn to display respect, dedication, self-confidence, commitment, sportsmanship and teamwork. Each team member is integral to the team. 

Professional Cheerleaders

Sideline and performance cheerleading for a professional sports team, typically football or basketball, is classified as professional cheerleading. Dance and elaborate moves take precedence over jumps, stunts and tumbling.

The Olympics may now include cheerleading as a sport, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) having voted recently to fully recognise the International Cheer Union (ICU).

Cheerleading not only brings you in touch with people with diverse goals but can be a tool to help you achieve your personal and professional goals. Whether they call themselves sportspersons or spectators, Professional Cheerleaders must stay physically fit and strong and develop a strategy for the long game to achieve excellence in performance and also derive economic benefit from it. Whether you compete or cheer teams from the sidelines, some skills you learn, such as discipline, determination, confidence, commitment and teamwork, can stand you in good stead throughout life. 

In addition to your responsibility to stay fit to tackle complex routines and moves, you may find yourself under pressure to stay thin. Be mindful of your diet but don’t fall into the trap of eating disorders, which, in turn, can lead to serious health issues. Healthy eating should be your goal. Coaches and members of your team and family must remain alert to any warning signs of eating disorders you may begin to display.