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Quick answer: competitive cheer is a team sport in which a squad performs a short, choreographed routine of stunts, tumbling, jumps and dance, scored by judges. If you're new, start with what the sport is, then learn the roles in a stunt, how levels work, and what happens at a competition.

Five Things to Understand First

1. There are two kinds of cheer. Sideline cheer supports another sport by leading the crowd; competitive cheer makes the routine itself the event. Many people meet both.
2. Most competitive teams are All Star teams. All Star teams belong to private gyms rather than schools and exist purely to compete.
3. Every athlete has a role in stunts. Flyers are lifted, bases lift them, and a back spot supports from behind - together they're a stunt group.
4. Levels control what a team can do. Teams compete at a level from 1 to 7, which sets exactly which stunts and tumbling are allowed - from roundoffs at Level 1 to double fulls at Level 6.
5. Routines are short and scored. A routine lasts up to two and a half minutes and is scored on difficulty, execution and deductions. "Hitting zero" - a routine with no deductions - is every team's goal.

Words You'll Hear Straight Away

• Flyer, base, back spot - the roles in a stunt.
• Prep, extension, liberty - common stunt positions.
• Back handspring, tuck, full - tumbling skills, roughly in order of difficulty.
• High V, T, touchdown - motions, the arm positions used in chants and dances.
• Bid, qualifier, Worlds - competition terms.

Our glossary and searchable Term Explorer cover every term on the site.

Where to Go Next

• New parent? Our Parent Hub answers the questions parents ask most - tryouts, team placement, what to bring and what a season involves.
• Going to your first competition? Read What Happens at a Cheer Competition? and pack with the Competition Day Checklist.
• Want to understand the scores? Start with How Is Competitive Cheer Scored?, then try the interactive score sheet.
• Curious about the history? See History of Cheerleading - it began with crowd-leading at college football games in the 1880s and 1890s.

A Note on Safety

This site explains what cheer skills are and how the sport works - it doesn't teach anyone how to perform them. Stunts and tumbling should only be learned with a qualified coach and proper progressions. See our safety policy.

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