An invisible backpack filled with deadlines, expectations, and the demand to be perfect weighs heavily on HSE cheerleaders. Late-night homework and long practices, the combined weight of academics and sports that often go unnoticed. Cheerleading is no longer just a sideline activity; it is a high stakes sport. Every flip, stunt and pyramid comes with the constant push to exceed limits. For cheerleaders at HSE, pressure to be perfect follows them from the classroom to the gymnasium.
Many of HSE cheerleaders understand the pressure firsthand.
“It’s just a lot of pressure in general when somebody’s watching you and expecting you to do really good,” Jojo Arata said, a sophomore cheerleader at HSE. “You want to show them that you’re a really good athlete.”
Pressure can become overwhelming during competitions, as the feeling of someone watching your every move can be stressful. However, stress is not limited to competitions. In the classroom, on the sidelines, even rehearsing a routine in the gymnasium are all situations where cheerleaders may experience pressure. The fear of failure and constant chase for perfection leads to stress and anxiety. It can feel like a pressure cooker, building up inside until it is too late, which is why recognizing mental health struggles early is important.
Little is known about the demands of competitive cheerleading. It is a sport that requires more than just a loud voice. Cheerleading combines athleticism, leadership, teamwork, and high energy performances. Injuries are common, with 66% of cheer related injuries resulting from overuse. Along with the physical toll, cheerleading also affects mental health. While injuries are visible and often treated immediately, mental health struggles can easily go unnoticed.
Mistakes can happen in competitive cheerleading often. It’s not as simple as other sports, in fact what seems like a simple mistake can become very dangerous. Arata recalled a moment when a stunt went wrong and she took a foot to the face. Tired and unfocused, she had to make a choice, to panic or push forward.
“My teammate looked me dead in the eyes, and we both wanted to keep that stunt up,” Arata said, “I had to make sure I stayed focused for the rest of the routine so that my teammates can still do well.”
Recognizing stress is the first step to managing it, but for many high school athletes, mental health takes a back seat to physical performance.
“The stress from everyone at school just bounces off each other,” Audrey Banard said, “stress is normalized instead of recognized.”
HSE cheerleaders say finding personal ways to cope with pressure helps them stay calm during stress filled situations. Banard says team bonding and finding that support system plays a major role in stress relief.
“We do a lot of team activities,” Barnard said, “I feel like I can talk to my teammates without being judged.”
Cheerleaders use physical coping techniques to release stress. Activities like stretching, resting, and taking breaks from training helps improve overall well-being.
Arata and Banard both believe that schools can do more to help students manage stress. They express how schools can be an extra support system, so students don’t feel like they are alone.
“We could have open free counselor talk,” Jojo Arata said, “The students can go meet with their counselor and be there for a longer time.”
By prioritizing mental health and recognizing the demands of high stakes sports like cheerleading, school staff and peers can help reduce the unseen pressures athletes carry every day. As competitive cheer continues to grow, acknowledging the mental demands of the sport is just as important as celebrating the athleticism on display.
“We can create more support groups or some more support programs” Audrey Banard said, “That way people get help instead of being overlooked.”
