This post is a small extension of my last post-No More Double Downs. A standing full and a standing double are two skills that have also been banned from high school cheerleading, and I just thought I'd share the video because I think they look cool :) A standing double is when a cheerleader jumps into the air and twists twice before landing. Here is the video:
Awesome right? :) A standing full would be if he jumped up and only twisted once. And believe me, I completely agree with the banning of these two. They are crazy scary!
I am a member of a very successful (Back to Back State Champs!) competitive high school cheerleading team. A big topic of discussion in the cheerleading world this season is the fact that cheerleading teams around the country are having to adjust to some big rule changes. First, so you can understand what in the world I'm talking about, here are some basic terms when talking about cheer: Base Flyer Cradle Extension Stunt (This link refers to it as a mount, but it is more commonly known as a stunt.) Also, USASF (United States All Star Federation) has a list of pretty much every cheerleading term there is here.
The Changes
High school teams in particular are no longer allowed to do double downs (this is when a flyer is in a stunt, the bases pop her up, she twists twice, and the bases catch her in a cradle.)
Here is a video of a double down so you can picture it:
This particular skill has been a part of high school cheerleading for quite awhile, and many elite teams have worked to perfect it. Higher level skills like this one previously earned teams difficulty points and set the more advanced teams above the others. Now, however, these top teams will have to find other ways to stay ahead of their competition.
The Reason
Double downs in particular have been removed because of the high risk of injury and the amount of serious injuries that have resulted from this skill in the past few years.
Concussions were part of the main issue-here is a story about a cheerleader who suffered from not one, but two concussions resulting from some form of a failed double down. The amount of head injuries that were caused by double downs are already large and increasing. Though many cheerleaders are able to perform this skill successfully, the amount of injuries was impossible to ignore. And because double downs were a big part of the problem, the National Federation of State High School Associations made the decision to remove them completely. Here is an article explaining the issue further.
What I Think
The argument of banning or not banning double downs is very difficult. While I agree that the amount of injuries is unsettling, I also believe that the cheerleaders that have worked hard to earn the ability to do the skill safely should not be held from doing it. That being said, there are many other ways that a team can show their talent and remain competitive. The elimination of double downs is not the end of the world, and there are plenty of other difficult stunts that cheerleaders can perform. The health and well-being of the athletes should always come first-no high school cheerleader will be cheering for the rest of their lives, and an injury caused by the sport should not affect the quality of their entire adult life. In the scheme of things, who is going to look back on their high school cheerleading career and wish they could have just done that one double down?
