Cheer shows that pride is temporary and pain is forever in college cheerleading

Rolling Stone

On the one hand, the Navarro College cheerleading routine is among the most incredible feats of athleticism you’ll see. The Cheer crew makes "the stunts look absolutely spellbinding, capturing the tumbling, spinning, and balancing from a wide variety of angles that emphasize the sport’s gravity-defying dynamism," says Lara Zarum. "When the camera gets right in the middle of the action, the viewer feels like the one who’s about to leap into the arms of a team member, or catch one. In some shots, girls vault up from below as if they’re weightless, swooping up and into formation on top of their teammates; in others, the routines are slowed down, making the athletes’ backbreaking work look as fluid and natural as a flock of birds taking flight." On the other hand, says Zarum, "it’s depressing to watch these brilliant young women and men mangle their bodies for a pursuit that has no career path; as one talking head points out, cheerleading leads to more injuries among female athletes than any other sport, and the injuries have become more serious as competition pushes coaches to choreograph more difficult and dangerous routines. The NCAA does not consider cheerleading a varsity sport, so its safety guidelines don’t cover cheer."

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