Anyone who has watched a cheerleading competition on ESPN knows that coming up with new cheerleading stunts can be challenging and dangerous. Every year, the stunts performed by squads around the nation get bigger, more dangerous and more interesting.
New Cheerleading Stunts or Just New to You
New cheerleading stunts may be new because you've never tried them before or because they are something you or your squad has just created. Either way, always make sure that adults are present and there are plenty of spotters when trying a new stunt. The last thing you want to do is get hurt and potentially throw yourself out of cheering for the rest of the season. Some of the more complicated stunts include:
- Scorpion
- Bow and Arrow
- Wolf Wall
Please always check the rules and regulations of any competition you consider entering since some stunts are illegal and may disqualify you.
If you are creating your own amazing stunts, you need to be extremely familiar with the rules and consult with other cheerleading squads who've gone before you to make sure you won't have any points deducted or run into other issues with the rules and regulations. Some standard rules to keep in mind are:
- In general, be weary of pyramids that are more than two high.
- Check on regulations about simultaneous tumbling.
- Check how many spotters and bases a flyer is required to have.
- Basket tosses are almost never allowed except in collegiate competition. When they are allowed, there are rules designed to keep the flyer safe. If your routine requires a basket toss, double check the rules.
How to Create Your Own Stunts
The best way to create new stunts is to build on stunts you and your squad already know well. Does the squad create a great pyramid with a scorpion at the top? What about turning from a scorpion into a waterfall? Many coaches will create new stunts for you, and you'll simply have to learn and perform them. This hopefully eliminates any issues with stunts that may not follow the rules and regulations of competitions.
However, if you are interested in creating your own stunts you're a coach or squad captain that wishes to create stunts for the squad, one thing that might help is knowing the basics. From the basics, you simply add in extras.
- Roles of Squad Members
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- Spotters - These are a necessity, particularly when performing complicated stunts. Safety is vital!
- Base - The base is the strength of any pyramid or stunt. Choose your strongest squad members.
- Flyers - Since flyers are at the top, you'll want the lightest girls in this position, but they also have to be bold enough to climb to the top.
- A Couple of Simple Stunts
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- Thigh Stand - Flyer stands on the thighs of two bases who lung toward one another.
- Cupie - Two bases stand close while the flyer places one foot on each shoulder of the bases. The bases then grasp her ankles for support.
There are many variations on the simple stunts that should serve only as a starting point. Most squads have about ten stunts with three to five of them being advanced and unique. The coach may add about one or two advanced cheerleading stunts a year.
Tumbling Helps
Tumbling can help with flexibility and stunting. Some of the newer stunts include maneuvers like basket tosses where the flyer performs moves such as toe tucks or standing tucks in midair and is caught by her squad. Again, never try this without supervision and spotters.
Coaches and Choreographers
Coaches and choreographers are constantly coming up with newer, bolder cheer stunts. Lists of current stunts are only a starting point to better stunts.
Sites such as YouTube can serve as inspiration. Watch other squads and which new stunts they are trying to see if anything inspires you. While you shouldn't copy their stunts, watching other squads may help trigger ideas for your own squad that you can then take back to practice and see if they work on the field. Brainstorm with your squad members, your coach and other professionals in the sport of cheerleading and you'll likely come up with tons of new cheerleading stunts before you know it.
