The Princess Diaries, High School Musical, Bring It On, A Cinderella Story, Grease. All of these films have cheerleaders in, and all of these cheerleaders are portrayed negatively. In countless American TV shows and films, cheerleaders are depicted as vain, self-centred and unintelligent women who enforce their popularity through fear. They wear their uniforms as a symbol of aristocracy while aiming to impress the most desired boy in school, who is typically a jock. The cheerleaders are never likeable characters, and I worry that this stigma has a diminishing effect on the number of people who take up the sport.
When telling people that I do cheer, the reaction is often: a snigger, a bemused ‘Really? Wow, that’s cool’, or a question about how I cope with the bitchiness of a cheerleading community. The stereotypical cheerleader is a stock character created for entertainment value and is harmful to young women. The concept implies that you have to be malicious, slim and stereotypically attractive in order to be successful, while simultaneously sexualising cheerleaders and reducing them to an image rather than sportswomen. It is a widely maintained stereotype and reflects onto our experiences as cheerleaders, such that we may have reservations about telling others about our sport. This is wrong and these clichés must be dispelled so that cheerleaders are more overtly respected as sportswomen.
I came to Bristol in September 2019 having never tried cheerleading before. I knew I wanted to be part of a sports team but hadn’t belonged to one previously, aside from going to Netball Club in Years 7 and 8. As a result, I very sheepishly got the U1 and navigated my way to the Indoor Sports Centre for the Cheerleading Give It A Go Session. Some of the future cheerleaders at the taster session were incredibly talented, which was daunting to me at the time. I remember making eye contact with the girl next to me and exchanging a look as if to say, “What the hell are we doing here?”. Then we were told about the Developmental Team for Bristol Jets, for which you need no previous experience at all. I turned back to the girl next to me and she said, “If you do it, I’ll do it too”.
This is my second year as a member of the Gameday and Varsity teams and it is unbelievable how much I have learnt in this time. A common misconception of cheerleading is that it is a side-line sport for the main, often male-dominated sport. We have a strong affiliation with Bristol Cuda and love supporting other UoB sports societies, but that is not all that we are. Cheer incorporates poms, glitter, bows and exaggerated facial expressions with stunting, dancing and tumbling. There is so much that goes into every single motion within a routine to ensure that it is hit at the exact time with the correct technique and most exaggerated effect. Cheer has therefore taught me discipline, commitment and teamwork, since all members need to be at training to learn new stunts and dance sections successfully. Outside of training sessions, the polished routine relies on regular practice, stretching and strength and conditioning exercises (as much as we all may dread the S&C part!).
Joining Bristol Jets is one of the best decisions I have made during my time at University. The girls I have trained and performed with have consistently been kind, welcoming and supportive. When we were able to train in person, we would spend every Monday evening in the SU, before rushing home to get dressed and pre-drink in time for the 12am bus to BED Monday at Grav (or occasionally after a particularly gruelling training session we’d just get Donervan’s instead). We attended American Football matches on Sunday afternoons, sometimes in torrential rain, which made for very memorable and amusing stories. We supported each other week in, week out, and built a sense of trust and unity, which is really useful when you’re throwing each other in the air. I am so grateful to belong to such a positive and encouraging community.
Becoming a cheerleader definitely does not mean you will be surrounded by mean girls.
Also, cheer is not just for women! There are mixed teams within Bristol Jets and the society is all-inclusive. This also means that members of all abilities are welcome, and I can definitely attest to that since I was completely clueless when I first joined the society. If you’ve always been interested in cheer but have been worried about the stereotypes, or worried about what other people will say, or worried about your level of ability, please don’t worry, and please consider joining us next year.
Sincerely, a proud member of Bristol Jets.
This article is part of a themed content week celebrating Women in Sport. Thanks to all the teams and societies who have helped make this possible!