All-Star Fantastic Article On Injury Numbers And Why Cheer Should Be A Sport

[King]

This is by 538 (started by Nate Silver, one of my favorite statisticians). His job is to interpret data and describe what it means. He basically says cheer isn't nearly as dangerous as been labeled by the media BUT by not being a sport more injuries occur because of lack of funding and regulation when it isn't a sport. Concussion occur more in practice than in competition because competition has better facilities (inferred). Make it a sport to improve safety.


Where Cheerleading Ranks in Safety Among High School Sports | FiveThirtyEight


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[Official OWECheer]

This is so true... and the sad part is that a lot of schools are not held accountable for their role in the matter.

 

[King]

This is so true... and the sad part is that a lot of schools are not held accountable for their role in the matter.

If made a sport you can hold them more accountable.


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[Official OWECheer]

If made a sport you can hold them more accountable.


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But what scares me is the fact that they KNOW what can happen (or maybe they don't, some people are stuck in the 1950s) and they still say yes to having a team. I would rather they say, "no, we don't have the funds to do this". I remember when SmileyRyleigh mentioned that her school expected the cheerleaders to find their own coach. Imagine if that were to happen to another athletic team, it would be on the news! America should be embarrassed. I've heard from Canadian school cheerleaders that teachers are not allowed to coach cheer over there unless they are licensed. SMH, I'm done. :banghead:

 

[King]

It's all relative. There are positive and negatives to both sides. But you don't want to cut off your nose to spite your face. All gains will be incremental and will mean compromise. To get some people will have to relent some.


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[Mama Of 3 CP's]

My husband and I were talking recently about cheer related injuries versus other sports. We were wondering if it is ever taken in to consideration that all-star cheer is running practices nearly 12 months a year, versus 4-5 months of school football, basketball, etc. If the injury numbers are based on a yearly average, it seems the numbers will always show that all-star cheer is more dangerous.

 

[fullpass]

My husband and I were talking recently about cheer related injuries versus other sports. We were wondering if it is ever taken in to consideration that all-star cheer is running practices nearly 12 months a year, versus 4-5 months of school football, basketball, etc. If the injury numbers are based on a yearly average, it seems the numbers will always show that all-star cheer is more dangerous.

THIS!! And also they need to differentiate between Pop Warner, Town, School and AllStar cheer. They're not the same thing at all.



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[getsum]

My husband and I were talking recently about cheer related injuries versus other sports. We were wondering if it is ever taken in to consideration that all-star cheer is running practices nearly 12 months a year, versus 4-5 months of school football, basketball, etc. If the injury numbers are based on a yearly average, it seems the numbers will always show that all-star cheer is more dangerous.

there also needs to be taken into consideration the frequency of practice/events. for example, cheer practice is sometime 2-3 times per week for about 3 hours (more before nca and worlds), and i know that football preseason can be mon-fri 5 hours per day and then 2-3 hours per day mon-thurs during the season.

also, type/seriousness of injury would need to be taken into consideration to get a much more well-rounded outcome. a sprained ankle or jammed finger shouldnt be put into the same category as a concussion or torn acl.

 

[King]

Injury rate is way more important number of injuries. On a long enough time scale you can have catastrophic injuries from watching TV.

It's one of the reasons that the number of cheerleaders considered for any injury analysis matters so much.


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[BlueCat]

I am so thankful that someone with a stats background took a look at this. I have been so frustrated with the methodology in the previous ones.

 

[cheernerd5678]

I'd also say that concussions and injuries happen more in practice b/c that's where you attempt the new skills... Ideally, you're only performing perfected skills on the competition floor, so injuries should be flukes. But when you try a new skill you're more likely to get hurt. I'm surprised the difference is so small actually... personally I've seen more girls hurt at practice than in competition. I don't think anyone on any of my teams has been hurt in competition, but many of them hurt in practice. Including myself

 

[getsum]

edit.

 

[ceanz-victoria]

I wrote a post related to this topic on my blog a while ago: click here to read.

It is encouraging to see statistics that give weight to the issue. I hope more change is to come.

 

[ACEDAD]

One thing I hate is the contention that declaring cheer a sport would allow the teams to practice on safer surfaces because they would have more money.

How about just not practicing on unsafe surfaces? Period? Athletes should not be put in danger because a school or gym wants to do something they can't afford.

And a coach or sponsor that allows a team to practice on concrete/asphalt should be put in jail.


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[King]

One thing I hate is the contention that declaring cheer a sport would allow the teams to practice on safer surfaces because they would have more money.

How about just not practicing on unsafe surfaces? Period? Athletes should not be put in danger because a school or gym wants to do something they can't afford.

And a coach or sponsor that allows a team to practice on concrete/asphalt should be put in jail.


The Fierce Board: If you're gonna be talked about, shouldn't you at least be here to defend yourself?

While a bit on the dramatic side, how do we turn in someone now? Being a sport can start providing channels to actually regulate these sorts of things.