Competitive cheer is not for everyone. It is a serious and competitive sport that takes hard work and dedication.

Competitive cheer may seem easy but it involves a lot of physical skills and many different abilities, some that can take years to perfect.

Even simple cheers require sharp and precise motions and a loud voice in order to be done correctly.

Flexibility and strength are an important part of being a competitive cheerleader.

Cheerleaders constantly jump, tumble and stunt. Tumbling and stunting, two dangerous parts of cheer, can result in severe injuries without the right technique.

“People don’t really understand what competitive cheerleading is, but you do a lot of flipping and lifting other girls up. You really have to be physically capable of doing that, and it’s not easy. It takes a lot of work and a lot of time,” senior Cashay Brownlee said.

Competitive cheerleaders have to endure intense practices in order to improve.

KHS cheerleaders practice every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday for two hours to prepare for competitions.

Sophomore Madison Chapman, junior varsity cheerleader, is in her first year cheering. She said getting used to the practices was a challenge.

“Practice is intense. My whole body is completely sore after practice sometimes,” Chapman said.  “That was probably one of the biggest things that I had to get used to — the constant practicing and time that has to be put into it.”

Competitive cheer has a lot to do with the right personality traits, and many Kearsley cheerleaders said confidence is a must in the sport.

Sophomore Sadie Saunders also said that courage is necessary when tumbling comes into action.

“When you know that you can fall on your face at any moment, you have to get over that fear and still tumble because you can’t let down your team,” Saunders said.

Another trait the girls emphasized was having a positive attitude, especially since cheerleading can be difficult and emotional at times.

Competitive cheerleaders must be able to endure heavy criticism.

“You have to get used to people screaming at you all the time and critiquing your mistakes,” Saunders said.

Along with constant practicing and competitions, competitive cheerleaders have a price to pay.

The girls said that they paid about $500 for their team equipment and items.

Cheerleading is not an easy sport, but to senior Janeigha Cummings it is worth it.

“You have to want it for yourself and never give up,” Cummings said. “If you want it bad enough, it’s worth it.”