High School Sideline Boxes?

[tjbettin]

What are those boxes that some highschool cheerleaders stand on when they cheer at football games. What is the point of them and what kind of box is that?

 

[OldskoolKYcheercoach]

What are those boxes that some highschool cheerleaders stand on when they cheer at football games. What is the point of them and what kind of box is that?

An accident waiting to happen, that's what they are.

The alleged purpose is so the kids can see the games.

 

[FamUsM0m]

What are those boxes that some highschool cheerleaders stand on when they cheer at football games. What is the point of them and what kind of box is that?

My friend's kids use them at their school. They're the old plastic milk crates. Quite durable. They don't stand on them the entire time, only during call back cheers so the crowd can hear and see them better. They don't move on them once they're on them. So, accidents are probably very unlikely. Those crates can hold A LOT of weight and are pretty strong. They also reinforce the top by placing a 1/2" thick plywood that they get to paint themselves. Pretty neat. I like the idea. I would NOT recommend them for squads that cheer on grass vs. track though. They probably wouldn't be as safe on grass.

 

[ScottyB]

My friend's kids use them at their school. They're the old plastic milk crates. Quite durable. They don't stand on them the entire time, only during call back cheers so the crowd can hear and see them better. They don't move on them once they're on them. So, accidents are probably very unlikely. Those crates can hold A LOT of weight and are pretty strong. They also reinforce the top by placing a 1/2" thick plywood that they get to paint themselves. Pretty neat. I like the idea. I would NOT recommend them for squads that cheer on grass vs. track though. They probably wouldn't be as safe on grass.

I just don't see how being elevated 12-16 inches higher allows you to do a better job on the sideline

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Is this a west coast thing? I rarely see them anywhere else or anywhere near me.

 

[luv2cheer92]

Is this a west coast thing? I rarely see them anywhere else or anywhere near me.

They were used all over Northern Virginia when I was in high school.

 

[OldskoolKYcheercoach]

Is this a west coast thing? I rarely see them anywhere else or anywhere near me.

I’ve heard more people from the Minnesota, Michigan, northern type states talk about them.

 

[CoachTamara]

We are in California and see them ALL the time.

 

[coacha]

I've coached (and cheered) in NJ and Pa and didn't even know this was a thing. :/

 

[FamUsM0m]

I just don't see how being elevated 12-16 inches higher allows you to do a better job on the sideline

it allows them to be more elevated than people walking on the track. When people are up walking around, the cheerleaders can sometimes get lost behind them. Using the boxes and megaphones helps a lot. They don't use them the entire game or for every cheer. They also don't use them in the rain.

 

[FamUsM0m]

Is this a west coast thing? I rarely see them anywhere else or anywhere near me.

My friend lives in Northern Virginia.

 

[ScottyB]

it allows them to be more elevated than people walking on the track. When people are up walking around, the cheerleaders can sometimes get lost behind them. Using the boxes and megaphones helps a lot. They don't use them the entire game or for every cheer. They also don't use them in the rain.

But now on an elevated box, a cheerleader cannot jump or kick or tumble, or do much excited spiriting from that position. And puts them at risk for an injury.

The cons outweigh the pros in this debate everytime. It just doesn't make sense when looking at the role of a cheerleader during a game.

 

[luv2cheer92]

See we never used them while actually cheering. We used them when we occasionally turned and faced the field between cheers. So we could see over the players to know what was going on during the game to call cheers appropriately.

 

[ScottyB]

See we never used them while actually cheering. We used them when we occasionally turned and faced the field between cheers. So we could see over the players to know what was going on during the game to call cheers appropriately.

Many questions lol

-So do you not spirit and react to the game while watching it and cheering?
-So after the squad watches the play on the field while on the box, do you all step down from the box to do a cheer or chant?
-If so, do you move the boxes so you can stunt and tumble while cheering?
-What happens if there is a big play (let's say an interception), where the momentum changes in an instant, are people jumping off boxes and cheering like crazy?

 

[luv2cheer92]

Many questions lol

-So do you not spirit and react to the game while watching it and cheering?
-So after the squad watches the play on the field while on the box, do you all step down from the box to do a cheer or chant?
-If so, do you move the boxes so you can stunt and tumble while cheering?
-What happens if there is a big play (let's say an interception), where the momentum changes in an instant, are people jumping off boxes and cheering like crazy?

It's been 10 years so details are a little fuzzy lol. We used the boxes maybe 3 or 4 times a game, if that. I feel like we used them more due to the decorations/spirit of the actual boxes that were covered in school colors/logos etc than to actually stand on them. If we wanted to stunt or tumble, we just moved down the track a little where the boxes weren't in the way. I'll say in my 4 years there was never any issues with using them.