Cheerleaders are cheerleaders who perform at sporting events.
Cheerleaders is the name by which, in some countries , cheerleaders who perform dances and show their physical skills within the framework of a sporting event are known. The cheerleaders want the local team's supporters to cheer on the team and so that the general public does not get bored during breaks and time-outs.
For example: “The team introduced its new cheerleaders,” “When I was a girl, my dream was to be an NBA cheerleader,” “The cheerleaders brought a little fun to a game that was very boring.”
Cheerleaders in the United States and the rest of the world
In the United States , cheerleaders are very popular. American football and basketball are two of the sports that give a predominant role to cheerleaders, even at the collegiate levels. For young women, joining the cheerleading squad at their high school, college, or hometown team is often a source of pride.
The routines developed by the cheerleaders last about five minutes. They can include various dances and jumps, in addition to using ribbons, canes and other elements that complement their actions.
It should be noted that, in some regions, the activity of cheerleaders (known as porra , animation or cheerleading ) is considered an autonomous sport , that is, it is developed beyond what happens in the sporting events to which they serve as support. . In these cases, the cheerleaders' show is analyzed by a jury that gives a score to each team, with the team that obtains the most points being the winner.
Cheerleaders are very popular in the United States.
Members of each group
Within each group of cheerleaders or animators, it should be noted that there are various roles to play:
- There is the volera or the flyer , which has the characteristic of being very flexible and with great ability to balance. And there is a reason why it is the person whom the rest throw up.
- On the other hand, there is the figure of the caregiver, also called spotter . In your case and depending on the needs of each group, you can help raise the flyer or you can simply help lower it.
- Fundamental within the team is the figure of the point guard and his main function is to carry out the “launch” of the flyer. Specifically, in each group there is usually a maximum of five bases.
- Finally there is the pole. This is a cheerleader who is in charge of lifting a flyer onto his shoulders and also to a considerable height.
Cheerleaders in Cuba
We cannot ignore either that in other countries the term cheerleader is used with another meaning.
Specifically, in Cuba it is a word used to refer to the members of what was known as Porra . This was a security group that during the 1930s dedicated itself to using all types of violent acts and pressure with the clear objective of intimidating citizens.