Posted on 11/01/2006The competitive world of cheerleading continues to get more and more demanding. The days of the simple stunts and chants are long gone. Although those items are still an integral part of cheering, simple techniques and vocal cheers appear now more as filler between the rigorous other stunting that has become such a crowd please.
Stunts like cheerleading pyramids should not be taken lightly or without many hours of training by a skilled instructor. They are certainly not for the beginner. However, if you are new to cheerleading, we would like to give you some basic terms to learn and basic rules that will apply to your journey into making cheerleading pyramids.
Rules:
- Spotters are essential. Do not attempt stunts like this without spotters. The back spotter is the most important. This is a job for someone who is responsible, strong enough to catch a falling cheerleader and should be tall if possible to prevent disasters before they strike.
- There should be a sequence of events or each person should be responding to a cadence or count so everyone is on the same page and timing is right.
- There should be little to no talking other than the coach or spotter who can clearly communicate with everyone involved in the pyramid.
- Everyone needs to learn their own position in the stunt or pyramid and then understand what everyone else is doing. There is no unimportant job or position in a pyramid of cheerleaders. That means flyers should know how to fall and bases should know how to catch.
- For more technical rules, flyers should not let their feet go more than should width apart and the bases should stand no further apart than the width of the flyers shoulders. These appear to be obvious, but adherence to these rules will eliminate some needless injuries.
- Finally, bases should be sure not to back up during the stunt. Sometimes that is a natural tendency. Avoid it.
- Flyer – this is the top person on the pyramid. Some other names include climber or mounter.
- Back Spotter: The most important of the people there to prevent disaster. This person stands behind the pyramid and gets a bird's eye view of any impending danger.
- Front Spotter: Acts much the same as the back spotter, but is obviously stationed in front of the pyramid.
