We’re not greedy. We don’t wish for a bunch of birthday presents or hope that we’ll win a million dollars (although, let’s be honest – that would be kinda nice). We love cheerleading for what it is but, like most things, there is always room for improvement. Here are four things we hope to see happen during this year: Cheerleading named a sport. In all honesty, this probably won’t happen in just one year. Cheerleading still has a long way to go in terms of being called a sport, mainly due to Title IX and the NCAA. However, we do hope cheerleading makes strides to prove to groups like the NCAA that cheerleading is just as athletic as any other sport and requires skill, stamina, strength, determination, and a lot of training. More cheerleading stereotypes disproved. There are a lot of stereotypes about cheerleading. We hope that this year, people (like us!) continue to bust cheerleading myths. It not only strengthens the cheerleading community, but it also spreads the truth about cheerleading, meaning more people are likely to gain a lot of respect for cheerleaders and their sport. Continue the fight against bullying. When you’re in middle or high school especially, bullying is all too common. We hope to see squads and cheerleaders continue to fight against bullying and to make a stand to keep their team a bully-free zone. Bullying can completely tear a team apart; just say no to bullying, whether it’s in person or on social media. Keep giving back to the community. We shared so many amazing stories in 2013 about cheerleaders and cheer teams giving back to their community. They make us feel warm and fuzzy. We hope we see more and more examples of spirit and community building! There are so many ways cheerleaders give back to their community and we can’t wait to see more creative endeavors. What are your hopes and wishes for this upcoming year?
4 Hopes & Wishes for the 2014 Year of Cheer
