When people think of cheer they probably think about football games and cheerleaders. Well, there’s more to cheer than a sideline with pom poms. All-star cheer is a competitive a cheer leading form that focuses on athleticism and performance. Unlike traditional cheer leading which is typically preformed at sports events, all-star cheer is centered around competitions where teams across the country compete against each other in various different skill categories.

There are many different ways this type of cheer leading works. First of all, the age divisions they go from mini’s/tinys to senior/open teams. Then there’s kill lever from level one (beginner) to level seven  (elite). Levels are determined based on the complexity of stunts, tumbling, and overall difficulty. All-star cheer is mainly known as a high performance based sport which typically lasts two minutes and 30 seconds. This routine is a various mixture of these elements.

• Stunts: These acrobatic maneuvers which athletes perform lifts, pyramids, and baskets
• Tumbling: This includes flips flipped with technique and other gymnastics type moves
• Dance: Usually preformed at the end of the routine almost like a celebration after the routine
• Jumps: Athletes are able to showcase there flexability and strength
• Synchronization: Presision and technique is basically the most important part of cheerleading making sure every section is getting done with synchronization

In Cheerleading you get the whole summer to work on a routine that you will compete against other teams in the same division. Competition season usuallly starts late November and ends around May after the biggest cheerleading competition Summit.

This is what a freshman at Eleanor Roosevelt High School, Giana Valdez had to say about all-star cheer: “I Think cheer is a pretty cool girly type sport.”

Another freshman at ERHS, Jullianne Osario adds on saying “Cheer is kind of like my sport dance but cooler.”

Now here are some facts about the biggest competition in all-star cheer-leading. I’m actually a summit champ myself, and won first place in my division at Summit 24′. Anyways, Summit is a competition that you have to get invited too, by either getting the highest score in a competition, getting a paid bid, winning the competition and getting and At-Large bid, or just getting a wild card bid. The competition goes on for two days based on how you did the first day determines if you’re able to come back for day two.

This photo shows different elements in cheer. (Madison Kiamco)