Cheer safety to be highlighted each week, beginning with athlete protection

DALLAS (March 1, 2021) – Established in 2010, March is National Cheer Safety Month and USA Cheer is running a series of initiatives to highlight cheer safety throughout the month!

“National Cheer Safety Month is a critically important initiative every year for us,” said USA Cheer Executive Director Lauri Harris. “It’s an opportunity for us to put a spotlight on the core responsibilities of keeping athletes safe. We want to engage the entire cheer community to fulfill our collective mission of promoting safe environments and growing participation in cheer programs and the sport of STUNT.”

USA Cheer will utilize media and social channels to highlight a different theme each week of March to reinforce these priorities of athlete protection, skill safety & injury prevention, bullying & hazing prevention, and overall program safety.

We begin Week One with a continued focus on athlete protection and education programs related to sexual abuse in youth sport. “The most important responsibility we all share is protecting athletes,” said Harris. “We must work together to end abuse and create safe environments with an athlete-centered culture that affords every participant a positive experience that enriches their lives. There is no higher priority for any of us.”

Week Two’s theme is “Skill Safety and Injury Prevention,” with a focus on the importance of strength and conditioning, progression in training, and following safety guidelines. USA Cheer offers courses for coaches on safety regulations and has helped develop safety rules tailored to each age group and skill level.

The third week of National Cheer Safety Month will focus on eliminating bullying and hazing in the cheer community, with an emphasis on cyberbullying and its dangerous impact on mental health. “Stop bullying” week will focus on providing the tools to help identify bullying, online and in-person, identifying resources to learn about and prevent cyberbullying, and highlighting what to do if you see it or experience it.

USA Cheer will round out National Cheer Safety Month with a focus on “Program Safety.”  “Program safety’ really encompasses all of our themes for National Cheer Safety Month,” said USA Cheer Director of Education and Programs Jim Lord. “Are your coaches professionally trained and have they been subject to the appropriate background checks? Does your cheer program have an emergency action plan in place? Is everyone prepared? Are safe sport training and educational resources available for all? Do you have concussion protocols in place? Are you allocating enough time for conditioning and skill progression? We have to take a holistic view and make sure we are creating a safe and fun environment for everyone involved in cheer programs and the sport of STUNT.” At the end of the month, we will challenge everyone to take the icheersafe pledge. Pledging to do their part for overall athlete safety.