Cheer Equipment & Culture

Quick answer: competitive cheer has its own distinctive kit - a fitted competition uniform, cheer shoes, a large team bow, practice wear for training and a bag big enough to carry it all. Competition rules cover much of it, from soft-soled shoes and secure bows to uniform coverage and a ban on jewellery.

The Core Kit

Most competitive cheerleaders need:

• a competition uniform - a fitted, team-specific top and skirt (or shorts) with matching briefs;
• cheer shoes - lightweight, soft-soled shoes built for grip, support and shock absorption;
• a bow - the large team hair bow that's become a symbol of All Star cheer;
• practice wear - fitted training clothes, often team-branded;
• a cheer bag - to carry everything to the gym and competitions.

Pom-poms, cheer's most famous prop, are used mostly in sideline cheer and dance, rather than in competitive All Star routines.

What the Rules Cover

The USASF All Star Cheer Rules (2026–27) include requirements for:

• shoes - soft-soled with a solid sole; no dance shoes or gymnastics slippers;
• jewellery - none at all while competing (medical ID tags excepted), and it can't be taped over;
• uniforms - minimum coverage for skirts, shorts and tops, and exposed midriffs only for older Elite-tier age groups;
• bows and hair - bows secured and not oversized, hair secured off the face;
• props - only flags, flat banners or signs, pom-poms, megaphones and pieces of cloth.

Each equipment page explains the relevant rules in more detail.

What to Expect as a Parent

Most gyms tell new families exactly what to buy - often a specific shoe model, a team bow, and team-branded practice wear - and many order uniforms and bows centrally for the whole team. Ask for the gym's kit list before buying anything, and ask which items are bought outright, which are ordered through the gym, and which can be handed down or bought second-hand.

Cheer Culture

Beyond the essentials, cheer has a strong culture of team identity: matching bows, decorated bags, team jackets, and pins traded at competitions. For many athletes, the bows and pins collected over the years become keepsakes of their time in the sport.

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