Quick answer: a cheer bag is a large duffel-style bag athletes use to carry their uniform, shoes, bow, practice wear and everything needed for a long day at the gym or a competition. Many gyms have a matching team bag, and athletes often personalise theirs with pins, tags and bows.
What It's For
Between practice wear, a competition uniform, shoes, a bow, and supplies for hair and makeup touch-ups on a long competition day, cheer athletes carry more than a standard sports bag comfortably holds. Cheer bags tend to be larger and more structured, often with separate compartments for shoes and a protected section for the uniform.
What Goes Inside
For practice:
- practice wear and cheer shoes;
- a practice bow or hair ties;
- a water bottle and a snack;
- any supports or braces the athlete uses.
For competitions, add:
- the competition uniform, kept clean and uncreased;
- the team bow, plus a spare if possible;
- hairspray, hair grips and team-specified makeup for touch-ups;
- a cover-up, such as a team jacket or T-shirt;
- food and water for a long day, and something to pass the time.
Use our interactive Competition Day Checklist to tick things off as you pack.
Team Bags and Personalising
Many gyms sell a team bag in team colours, sometimes personalised with the athlete's name. Athletes often decorate their bags with pins, patches, keyrings and old bows collected from competitions and teams - so a well-travelled cheer bag becomes a record of an athlete's seasons.
What to Look For
- Size - enough room for a uniform and shoes without crushing anything.
- A separate shoe compartment - keeping shoes away from the uniform keeps both cleaner.
- Durability - the bag goes to every practice and competition.
- Easy identification - at a competition, dozens of identical team bags end up in one pile, so a name tag or distinctive keyring helps.
Parent Questions
What shouldn't go in the bag? Valuables that aren't needed. Bags are often left in team areas or warm-up holding areas while athletes perform, so it's best to keep phones and money to a minimum and label everything.
Related Equipment
See What Should My Child Take to Competition? and the Competition Day Checklist.