The cheerleaders here at HHS practice four days a week for two to three hours a day.

They run, lift weights (and their flyers), and practice their routines until they get them right.

They practice to win. Last time I checked, that’s what all the other sports do as well, so why is cheerleading still looked down upon by some?

After school, while most kids are on their way home or staying after to catch up on work, junior Lexi Gardocki, frustrated and tired, is limping out of the gym to take a breather from practice.

With a bruise on one leg and a knee brace on the other, it’s clear that being a base for varsity is not easy.

Before you say “catching someone”or “being thrown in the air” is no big deal, consider the risks that cheerleaders face.

A stunt group consists of two people as bases, one flyer, a backspot, and sometimes a frontspot. It’s all about timing and precision, and if one person isn’t in the correct spot, taking a foot to the face when a flyer comes crashing to the ground is a serious possibility.

While stunting can cause injuries like concussions and broken bones, the tumbling done at practice also leads to long-term back and knee problems.

Although it may not seem like much compared to what football players do under the Friday night lights, the hard work that goes on behind the scenes is just the same.

“We work all year for our competitions. I explain and inform [other people] that it’s not something everyone can do, and [tell them] what they actually do and how hard the girls have to work,” said JV coach Renee Fowler.

While they’re practicing routines for Homecoming, staying in shape, and building up their endurance during conditioning, the cheerleaders are also preparing for competition season in the winter.

This year, there are seven competitions that varsity will be competing in, and just like any other major sporting event, it’s going to take time and lots of practice to perfect their skills.

That hard work pays off. Last year, the varsity cheerleaders earned fourth in sectionals and second in state.

If you still think cheerleading isn’t a sport, try telling that to the U.S. All Star Federation.

Since 2004, The Cheerleading Worlds has been hosted in Orlando, Florida where all-star cheerleading teams compete. Cheerleading has Worlds, just like football has the Super Bowl and how hockey has the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Not so different, are they?

A sport isn’t categorized by how difficult it is, or how what the injury statistics are. The players are who make the sport what it is.

Whether it’s cheering on the sidelines at a football game or being part of the Wildcats at Worlds, cheerleading is a sport that takes time, dedication, and passion, just like other sports.