Cheerleading Results In Serious Injuries
Cheerleading acrobatics and stunts have become more sophisticated and more difficult as the activity has evolved into an “extreme sport.” Because of the increasingly difficult stunts, injuries among Kentucky high school and college cheerleaders are a growing cause of concern for parents, coaches and the cheerleaders. University of North Carolina researchers have found that 63 percent of all high school direct catastrophic injuries to female athletes and 56 percent at the college level are caused by cheerleading.
In a Wisconsin court where a cheerleader brought a case after suffering a serious head injury, the court stated that cheerleading involves a significant amount of physical contact between the cheerleaders. Cheerleaders tossed high into the air, called “flyers,” are expected to be caught by their teammates after performing flips and gymnastic stunts in the air.
Cheerleading injuries continue to increase each year. That's because cheerleading has changed. At one time, cheerleaders stood on the sidelines leading rally cries. Today, they are expected to perform dangerous flips and aerial tricks. The injuries that are suffered are typically disabling, serious and in extreme cases fatal. In 2007, close to 30,000 cheerleaders were taken to emergency rooms for treatment.
In too many cases, Kentucky cheerleaders are injured because they have been poorly trained or inadequately protected from injuries by their coaches. The personal injury lawyers at the Frank Jenkins Law Office in Lexington, KY believe schools and coaches should be held accountable when that happens.
If your child was injured while cheerleading, you and your family may be eligible for financial compensation covering medical bills, pain and suffering, and other expenses. Contact us online for a free evaluation of your case or call 1-800-227-9732. The attorneys of the Frank Jenkins Law Office will conduct a thorough assessment of your case and review all available options to build a strategy with your best interests in mind.
Cheerleader “Flyers” Lead to Injuries
Today's cheerleading squads include “flyers” that perform aerial acrobatics and gymnastic stunts after being tossed high into the air. The flyers rely on their teammates to catch them and to prevent them from crashing to the ground. Occasionally the teammates that do the catching are too young, too small or without proper training to safely catch the flyer, resulting in injury. The catchers are also at risk of sprains, strains and other injuries from breaking the falls of the flyers.
The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators (AACCA) is aware of the risk of injuries to the cheerleaders and is taking the lead with recommended regulations and guidelines. The 2009-2010 AACCA College Safety Rules were drafted but are only guidelines and suggestions for practicing and performing stunts and acrobatics and are not mandatory.
We believe coaches should ensure that the team is adequately trained and prepared, and that appropriate safety measures are in place. Currently, only 12 states require school cheerleading coaches to be certified. According to the UNC study, “if these cheerleading activities are not taught by a competent coach and keep increasing in difficulty, catastrophic injuries will continue to be a part of cheerleading.”
Cheerleader Category Undefined
Coaches seek out the most athletic and strongest cheerleaders to lead the squad to winning competitions. The stunts that the coaches request of their squad are demanding and dangerous and require proper training, support, and strong spotters to prevent injury. Cheerleading tryouts are becoming more and more competitive, and the pressure to perform often results in the cheerleaders performing stunts for which they are not physically capable.
Cheerleading is not yet officially recognized as a sport, yet the strength and skills required to perform the stunts meets or exceeds the athleticism used in other recognized female sports. With cheerleading seen as an “activity,” regulation and education is slow to be offered.
AACCA has partnered with the National Federation of State High School Association's Coaches Education Program to offer training courses for coaches in all levels of cheering from youth to college. Even though AACCA is working to improve the safety, Jim Lord, executive director of the AACCA, says that “the parent really is ultimately the person who has to blow that whistle” if they believe their child’s safety is at issue.
Cheerleading Injuries
Many cheerleaders ‘work through’ their injuries and continue to perform even while suffering. Overuse and improper healing can lead to more severe injuries down the road.
Cheerleading injuries that can occur include:
- Spinal cord injuries
- Fractured skull
- Blows to the chest causing lung and heart trauma
- Broken bones and fractures
- Dislocations and sprains
- Strains, torn tendons and ligaments
Contact a Lawyer
The personal injury law firm of Frank Jenkins, located in Lexington, Kentucky, is committed to representing Kentucky residents who have been seriously injured due to the fault of another person. If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a KY cheerleading accident, call us at 1-800-227-9732 or fill out our online evaluation form.
