All-Star Cheer Safety And A Recent Fatal Accident At Cheerleading

[King]

http://cheermad.com/safety-first-2/

http://www.taiwannews.com.tw/etn/news_content.php?id=1752671

 

[King]

Couple questions I have:

What do they consider a safety mattress? Would a hard floor have mad a difference? Anyone ever think how a hard floor be considered safer when it has that funny adjective in its name? Would the chances of survival been better if she was on a spring floor?

 

[cupieqt]

devestating. This hurts my heart so badly.

 

[ufomom]

It was just shy of 10 feet. And it makes me sooooooooooo sad.

This link has a picture of the athlete in and in the back ground is probably the mat they are referring to.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2011/11/09/2003517870

 

[cheerheart4life]

This makes me want to quit cheerleading. Its so sad that one little moment can change somebody's life forever.

On your questions, no doubt the spring floor would have made a difference. Her head wouldn't have hit a shockingly hard surface. The spring floor would "give" a little. She would still have a major concussion I would assume though.

 

[fullpass]

Heartbreaking

 

[cupieqt]

I don't have an answer to your questions @kingston but I would like to think that a spring floor would have prevented the death. That's what I want to think, but sadly none of us will ever know. Her death was preventable in many ways but nothing can save her now. It's too late for her.

 

[cheersafety]

Couple questions I have:

What do they consider a safety mattress? Would a hard floor have mad a difference? Anyone ever think how a hard floor be considered safer when it has that funny adjective in its name? Would the chances of survival been better if she was on a spring floor?

Yes, spring floor would have made a difference. I would need to know exact height and exact type of mat to say if their mat would have prevented catastrophic injury.

 

[pinksparklybow]

I was suprised at the reference in difference between 2.5 and 3 meters....I think at that point the difference would be minimal given the lack of mat and lack of catching by the bases.
I enjoyed the first article on cheer safety. While I believe it is important for parents to not try to coach from the sidelines, it seemed apparent that the parents had an instinct that something wasn't right at that competition.

Overall, the article makes me wish school cheer was more regulated as a sport...for safety reasons specifically.

 

[cheerforeverever]

The sad thing is that there are still coaches out there that don't take the "no basket tosses on a hard surface" rule seriously even in the United States. High School programs especially. I feel like this article should be printed out and handed to every coach at summer cheer camps (NCA/UCA/USA etc.) with a discussion on safety. I know there's a little schpeel on safety and lots of "perfection before progression" but maybe it would get coaches out of the "it will never happen to me" mindset and into the reality of "hey! it can happen to anyone! real people have had this happen!".

 

[yojaehs]

The sad thing is that there are still coaches out there that don't take the "no basket tosses on a hard surface" rule seriously even in the United States. High School programs especially. I feel like this article should be printed out and handed to every coach at summer cheer camps (NCA/UCA/USA etc.) with a discussion on safety. I know there's a little schpeel on safety and lots of "perfection before progression" but maybe it would get coaches out of the "it will never happen to me" mindset and into the reality of "hey! it can happen to anyone! real people have had this happen!".

I agree with you but I don't think that this is enough. So much has been done in regards to concussions etc. I still can't believe that we as a cheerleading community do not have higher standards for coaches. IMO, I think that high school coaches are at least in a setting (at summer camps) to be educated, where do all-star coaches get their education? I pray for the day that EACH and EVERY person that wishes to call themselves a cheerleading coach is REQUIRED to take a course (this course should be much more in depth that the current "credentialing" C+ average open book test). Why can't we DEMAND this sort of thing? Do it per state, offer it multiple times, I don't care how it's done but it NEEDS to be done!

 

[Deleted member 15]

Is anyone doing anything to make this happen or is it discussion only?

 

[King]

Is anyone doing anything to make this happen or is it discussion only?

To make what happen?

 

[Deleted member 15]

To make what happen?

The things poster have said they want or wish were done, such as

I pray for the day that EACH and EVERY person that wishes to call themselves a cheerleading coach is REQUIRED to take a course (this course should be much more in depth that the current "credentialing" C+ average open book test). Why can't we DEMAND this sort of thing? Do it per state, offer it multiple times, I don't care how it's done but it NEEDS to be done!

 

[King]

The things poster have said they want or wish were done, such as

I think there are tests and certifications? Honestly I think the solution will be a combo of changes at the top and education at the bottom.