When most people hear the word “cheerleading,” they think pom-poms, sideline chants, and “Friday Night Lights” at a high school football game. However, beyond supporting other teams, cheerleading has become a sport of its own. For the typical two-and-a-half-minute competition routine, the average all-star cheerleader often spends ten or more hours per week in the gym, undergoing intense physical conditioning and competition preparation.
While some skills are individually developed (such as tumbling, jumping, and dance), partner stunts, pyramids, and basket tosses require a great deal of teamwork, synchronization, and partner uniformity. Stunting fosters resilience, strength, and determination. In 2021, the International Olympic Committee and the United States Olympics and Paralympics Committees officially recognized cheerleading as a sport, and it is now eligible for Olympic inclusion, which provides a goal for young athletes.
Stunt Showdown is a local organization in the tri-state area (PA, NJ, DE, NY) committed to establishing a platform for young athletes to showcase partner stunting. It was created to foster a sense of accomplishment, increase self-esteem, and to provide individual feedback for athletes performing partner stunting skills. Stunt Showdown doesn’t limit participant positions by height or weight, which allows athletes who are bases or backspots for all-star cheer, a chance to fly. This will prepare many of them for college-level cheerleading, as co-ed college teams will encourage more female athletes to fly, meaning girls who were bases or backspots on all-star teams may end up at college immersing themselves in partner stunting for the first time. We aim to create a space where any position (flyers, bases and backspots) can shine & and showcase their skills. Our inaugural competition is December 21st in the suburbs of Philadelphia at Haverford College. Although our partner stunting competition is an East Coast based platform, we have athletes traveling from throughout all the United States and Canada for the competitions. Most importantly, we have partnered with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to donate our proceeds to this amazing cause.
We aim to have over 50 athletes at this competition, however the reach is unlimited throughout the United States and Canada as each athlete can fundraise for CHOP in their own community.
Please join us in fundraising for these amazing young athletes! Join our website www.stuntshowdown.com for registration and our Instagram page stunt_showdown for the most up-to-date info!
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