Behind the perfect smile and stylish updo is hours of dedication, hard work, and patience. Senior cheerleader, Sophia Mallov, offers a behind the poms look on how they perfect their flawless routines.
Before the competition even starts, the cheerleaders are at work. “The routines we do are extremely difficult and physically demanding” Mallov states. From Tuesday through Thursday, the team works rigorously to perfect multiple routines – not just for the competition stage, but also for the football sidelines. These athletes have learned to overcome the physical strain and be recovered by Saturday morning for another round of flawless routines.
Cheerleading doesn’t just require physical and mental fitness but a flawless look. From perfected updos, a pop of red lips, and colorful bows, these athletes must look good, too. “I have a hair and makeup routine that I always stick to before every comp and game”, says Mallov. Each team’s unique look is a big factor not only in their professionalism and unity but in their confidence. All the athletes must match exactly: same slicked-back low ponytail with a bow, same clean and neat uniform, and identical shoes and socks. Together they are no longer just individuals but one team, with one goal…perfection.
As the cheerleaders
take to the mat, the roar of the crowd is deafening with cheerful support from friends, family, and other teams. During competition is when the team shows off all their hard work in one perfected routine. The goal is to “Hit 0”; this means there are no falls, perfected tumbling, and only smiles. This pressure can create lots of stress and anxiety for the athletes, “I focus on staying calm and keeping myself moving” says Mallov. “As a team we always do a mental mark before competitions, and we huddle up right before we take to the floor”. These small rituals add up to calm down an anxious mind before a big competition. For the varsity team, the September 20th competition hosted here at HSE was the first competition of the season. As it is the first competition, the main defining principle of cheer – perfection – isn’t the main focal point, but instead the focus is to get over the immediate anxieties and fears that come with a new routine.
Like every great athlete, cheerleaders know that recovery is essential to the health of not only the individual but the team. “I make sure to ice, have food/water, and get sleep”, says Mallov. But recovery goes beyond physical, “I take a very long shower and watch film to note the things I can improve on”. This recovery period of cheerleading is a time of reflection. The athletes and coaches are in a constant search for any areas of improvement within the routine. Sometimes it is easy fixes, such as changing the timing of a skill, but other times they may need to even scrap a whole section of the routine and start again.
As every athlete here at HSE, cheerleaders must balance school, outside hobbies, and their sport. “It’s not easy to balance everything and it takes a lot of practice”, Mallov shares. “I usually end up staying up late to get schoolwork done”. High school cheer practice consumes hours outside of the classroom, and for athletes involved in club cheer, it can occupy their entire afternoon. Add on top of that outside hobbies and school programs, cheerleaders must fill the little open time with schoolwork. This, of course, doesn’t even include hanging out with friends or hanging around family, which is essential to maintain good mental health.
Cheerleaders may chase perfection on the competition floor, but that starts long before the roar of the crowd.
“The routines that we do are extremely difficult and physically demanding. We try to make it look easy, but a lot of the time we feel absolutely exhausted after competing.” – Sophia Mallov
