The dark side of cheer 🔍
New York Times investigates Varsity, Top Gun UK athletes not allowed school leave, big changes in Sweden & much more...
Do we have a packed newsletter for you today, or what? 😮💨 We’ll keep the intro short, but heads up: we’ve updated our referral program!
Refer just one person to get 130+ theme ideas, and unlock even more free rewards by referring more people. Check it out here.
In today’s newsletter:
The Dark Side of Cheerleading: New York Times Investigates Varsity Spirit
Top Gun UK athletes not allowed school leave for competitions
“Youth cheerleading is getting more athletic — and riskier”
Swedish Cheerleading Federation announces major changes for next season
Varsity sued over cyber hack
"Cheerleaders" show returns this week
Upcoming showcases
& more!
The Dark Side of Cheerleading: New York Times Investigates Varsity Spirit
A recent (massive) New York Times article delves into the alleged monopolistic grip Varsity Spirit has on the cheerleading industry and the complex impact on all of us in the sport...
It highlights Varsity's substantial market control, loyalty programs for gyms, controversies around classifying cheerleading as a sport, and more.
It also exposes a concerning lack of safety oversight and response to abuse allegations within the sport.
🔍 We’ve written a summary on our website & you can find the original article here.
We highly recommend reading the full article for a deeper understanding of these critical issues, as they affect everyone involved in the sport, often in ways you might not even realize…
Spoiler alert: it all comes back to Varsity Spirit.
Upcoming showcases
This weekend:
Cheer Sport Sharks (Canada)
United Elite (US)
Rival Athletics “Rival Rally” (US)
Cheer Athletics “Blue Debut” (US)
Help us add more dates: Reply to this email or comment below with the date, gym name & location (+ livestream if any). Any gym in any country is welcome!
🌍 AROUND THE WORLD
West Sussex school will not allow cheerleaders to attend competition in USA - 'It was a straight no' [Sussex World]
“Six pupils at an academy in West Sussex have not been given permission to travel to a prestigious cheerleading competition in the United States – and their parents have made a desperate plea for a U-turn.
Worthing-based cheerleading gym, Top Gun UK, has repeatedly proven its world-class talent on the international stage – bringing home multiple championship titles.“
Youth cheerleading is getting more athletic — and riskier [National Public Radio]
“Pediatricians are now raising awareness of the risks. For the first time in over a decade the American Academy of Pediatrics has issued an updated statement this week on the risks of injuries related to youth cheerleading, and how to prevent them.”
Swedish Cheerleading Federation announces major changes for next season
Changes will be implemented to align with ICU standards, including renaming levels to novice, intermediate, etc, and shortening the routine time limit to 2 minutes.
🗞️ OTHER NEWS & LINKS
Newly acquired Varsity Brands sued over pre-acquisition cyber hack [Sportico]
In case you missed it: we reported on the cyber attack last week. The news: they are now being sued for it…
The record-breaking team has announced a “Casino” theme for the season! ♠️
"Cheerleaders" show returns this week
“Cali SMOED is BACK! But does Eddie Rios and the squad have what it takes to become World Champion Cheerleaders?! Find out 10.30.24, ONLY on YouTube”
Missed that the show is coming back? See the first announcement here.
USA Cheer Partners with NBC Sports Next for Streamlined Gym Management
USA Cheer has announced a multi-year partnership with NBC Sports Next’s “SportsEngine Motion” platform, bringing cutting-edge technology directly to all-star gyms nationwide.
Did we miss something? Reply to this email & we'll include it next time!
🏆 COMPETITIONS
LATEST RESULTS & BIDS:
AASCF Classics VIC (Australia), Cheercon Champions League NSW (Australia), CheerBrandz Super Nationals VIC (Australia), Aussie Gold QLD State Championships (Australia), UCA Ohio Regional (Ohio), Cheer Power San Antonio Halloween Challenge (Texas), JAMZ Fall Fest (California), NCA South Texas Regional (Texas).
UPCOMING COMPETITIONS:
ATC&D The Showdown (Australia), CheerBrandz NZ Super Nationals (New Zealand), Aussie Gold National Championships (Australia), USA Regionals (multiple locations), Global Cheer and Dance Denver (Colorado), The Spirit Championships Ontario (California), MCDA Halloween Spooktacular (virtual).
We can't cover all competitions - for more, we suggest CheerTheory & Varsity TV (not sponsored).
💭 POLL OF THE WEEK:
Have more thoughts about this? Share in the comments below!
SHARE THIS NEWSLETTER, GET REWARDED
Your support for our newsletter means everything & we want to give back to you! Earn rewards when you share our newsletter:
Check out the free rewards
Click "Refer a friend” below (or "Share" in any newsletter)
Share with anyone interested in cheerleading
They join, you get rewarded, repeat!