National Cheerleading Safety Month Resolution Introduced in the House Of Representatives

MEMPHIS, Tenn., March 31, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On March 26, Representative Marc Veasey of Texas introduced HR Resolution 175, supporting the designation of March as National Cheerleading Safety Month. USA Cheer, along with several partner organizations, was cited in the resolution for its accomplishments in efforts to reduce cheerleading injuries.

The resolution highlights the ongoing efforts to reduce injuries among cheerleaders and the positive results being achieved by USA Cheer, the United States All Star Federation for Cheer and Dance Teams (USASF), American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators (AACCA), and CheerSafe, the online source for safety information, cheerleading rules and regulation updates.  

Cited in the Resolution was the concerted safety effort that led to a drop in injuries each year for the approximately 3.6 million cheerleaders currently active today.  Other accomplishments cited were:

• a major reduction in injuries, thanks to increased regulation and coaches training in the four years that cheerleading has been included in the National High School Sports-Related Injury Surveillance Study, resulting in cheerleading consistently being between 16^th and 17^th for overall injury rates
• according to the Consumer Products Safety Commission's NEISS reporting system, cheerleading emergency visits are now low compared to several other girls' sports, resulting in fewer emergency room visits in 2011 than girls' basketball, soccer or softball
• the CheerSafe initiative which was started through a partnership between USA Cheer, USASF, AACCA and other cheerleading organizations to raise awareness, prevent injuries and increase overall safety for cheerleaders at every level

Throughout the month of March, CheerSafe posted new content on its website, www.cheersafe.org, posted daily on social media sites, and shared content with its partners in the community.

"Our mission with National Cheerleading Safety Month has been to educate parents, cheerleaders and administrators to the facts of cheerleading safety at every level –school, college and all star–and to improve cheerleading safety through the involvement of a wide spectrum of organizations in the cheerleading community," says Ronnie Carter, Executive Director of USA Cheer. "Since 2006, there has been a downward trend in risk from cheerleading, and while we are proud of that success, we understand the importance of keeping up this momentum going forward."

Participants in the CheerSafe initiative include national organization such as the National Federation of State High School Associations, the National Athletic Trainers Association, the National Collegiate Athletic Association and leaders in the cheerleading community including Varsity Spirit and Champion Cheerleading, and cheerleading media partners American Cheerleader and Inside Cheerleading magazines.

For more information on National Cheerleading Safety Month, visit cheersafe.org, or contact Sheila Noone, [email protected] or 901-251-5959.

About USA Cheer
The USA Federation for Sport Cheering is a not-for profit organization and is the national governing body for all disciplines of cheerleading. USA Cheer has three primary objectives: help grow and develop interest and participation in Cheer throughout the United States; promote safety and safety education for cheer in the United States; and represent the United States of America in international cheer competitions. Visit www.CheerSafe.org for more information.

About CheerSafe
CheerSafe is a coalition of national, regional and state organizations that are committed to improving cheerleading safety by increasing safety awareness throughout the extended cheerleading community. Cheer safety experts are available to help administrators, instructors and parents understand cheerleading regulations and to provide the tools necessary in a safe, educational environment. A comprehensive source for safety information, CheerSafe.org makes research available for parents, coaches, cheerleaders and media.

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SOURCE USA Cheer

Related Links

http://www.usacheer.net