Tricks for Being the Best Spotter

Cheerleading spotters truly are the backbone of a cheerleading team. They count out the stunt, offer support for the bases, and prevent flyers from getting hurt. Without spotters, all the the death defying stunts, like basket tosses, full extensions, and cradles, would be too dangerous to perform. The main requirements for a successful spotter are: being physically strong, reacting calmly and quickly if the flyer losses her balance, and having experience with the team’s stunting. As a spotter, you should familiarize yourself with any weak spots on the team so there are no surprises during a performance of a stunt. You should also know the ins and outs of every stunt and the experience level that is required for your stunt group to successfully complete the lift. In addition to these very important points, here are tricks for being the best spotter: Keep your eyes open and your ears attentive at all times. Your eyes must never leave the flyer. You need to keep your focus on her at all times because missing just one second could result in serious injury. Also, listen for queues from the spotters and the flyer, as they will say “down” if they are uncomfortable or feel weakness in a stunt. When you count out the stunt, make sure you yell it loudly and clearly so your entire stunt group, including the flyer, can hear it. When loading a flyer into her stunt, make sure you have a firm grip on her waist and lift her up. DO NOT push her forward or off to the side as this will completely throw off the flyer’s balance. One of the weakest areas of stunting for flyers are their ankles. When your flyer is already in her stunt, firmly grip and pull up on her ankles to help stabilize any weak points. While your flyer is in movement (popping up, transitioning from half to full extension, basket tosses or any other actions where her entire body is in movement) your hands should always be up and ready to catch her just in case there are any moments where she might lose her balance. Make sure the flyer never hits the ground! I know this may sound crazy (trust me, every experienced back spotter will be nodding their heads in agreement), but this may include diving under her. She’s coming down from a very high point and this will potentially prevent serious, life threatening injuries. Keep your hands in fists when catching the flyer to prevent scratching or poking. Whether your flyer is popping up or landing, you need to bend your knees with the rest of your stunt group. Bending your knees actually helps soften the landing. What are your tips for being a good spotter?