Product Description
This book presents the basics of learning for potential cheerleaders and the basics of teaching for coaches and teachers. Cheerleading is not just dance, acrobatics, speachsong and spectacle; it is above all a team sport requiring a lot of hard work. But anyone who has been touched by the spirit finds it hard to give it up. This book explains what it's all about. Starting with warm-up and stretching, then moving onto jumps, cheers and chants and finally dance, this book contains all the information you need to set up a successful team. It is suitable for experienced cheerleaders and coaches, not just for beginners. Teachers who would like to offer this sport will also find the necessary know-how in this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Provides a guide to children and pre-teens on how to prepare for cheerleading tryouts. ... Read more

Product Description
This handbook covers everything about the sport of cheerleading, including the history, profiles of famous cheerleaders past and present, a current list of top national squads, how to's on style, dance moves, trying out, cheerleading camps, healthy diet, and much more. Full color. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

It was O.K.
I found this book at my local public library. Since I do cheerleading, I thought it would be a valuable resource, and it sort of was. It was a little too short, and I knew most of the moves and stunts in here anyway. It did have color photos and stuff, but it was only about fifty-eight pages. I wish it was longer. I guess it's mostly for beginners or people who want to learn about cheerleading or are thinking of trying out, because there is a section about it in here. I would recommend this book to beginning cheerleaders or for people who want to find out more about this cheerleading.

For Beginning Cheerleaders
This is a good book for cheerleaders that are new or girls that want to try out. Most of the moves and stunts in it were pretty simple, so beginners could get more out of it. I am almost in middle school and I want to try out for cheerleading, and this book is a great source, especially when me, my sister,and my next-door-neighbor make up cool cheerleading routines together. I just wish it had more jumps, stunts, and a instructional section about gymnastics, 'cause I'm a intermediate gymnast. Don't bother reading it if you're an advanced cheerleader, but it's a great book for beginners.

Ooh! What a waste!
I checked this book out at the library. It's okay if you're six to eleven years old, but it won't do any good for anyone older than that.

Don't buy it if you're a pro!
Believe me when I say this: This is a book for the beginners all the way. I bought this book thinking I could learn something that wasn't obvious, but if you cheerlead already, there is nothing new that you can learn from this book. It should be called Ultimate Beginning Cheerleaders. BUT if you're a real beginner and you need some sort of practice with boring basics, then buy it.

Extremely Helpful book
When I got this book I was thinking about trying out for my school's squad.I didn't know much about cheerleading.After I read this book I was totally prepared.Thisbook has tons of information.It has the history of cheerleading,different types of squads,hand motions,arm positions,leg positions,cheers, chants,try-out tips,jumps,camp information,stunts, and celebrity cheerleaders.It also has great color photos of everything. A must-have for old and new cheerleaders. ... Read more

Product Description
What In These Girls, Hope is a Muscle did for girls high school basketball, We've Got Spirit does for cheerleading.

They tear ligaments, blacken eyes, and crash headfirst into hard floors. They spend hours at practice, drawing both admiration and ridicule for their efforts. They've won nine national championships, and endured heartbreaking losses. And they do it--almost always--with a smile. They are the Greenup County High cheerleading team, known to ESPN viewers as fierce athletic competitors and in northeastern Kentucky as full-fledged celebrities. Now, an award-winning journalist, James McElroy, gives us an insider's look at a squad of unlikely teenage heroines who are taking center court and raising a cheer for themselves.

"It's easy to make some kind of odious joke about cheerleaders, but don't. It's more fun to try, believe it or not, to understand them. And James T. McElroy does just that...in his entertaining and well-reported book."-- Esquire

"Looks beyond the pompoms to the personal stories and the rural towns that offer girls no other path to success."-- Marie Claire

"These are not the flirty sideline stereotypes urging the boys on to victory. These girls are more apt to break bones than hearts... McElroy portrays cheering at Greenup as a largely positive experience that allows the girls to define themselves out of potentially limited social roles, even if they have to bend over backwards to do so."-- Publishers Weekly

Like such bestsellers as Little Girls in Pretty Boxes or In These Girls, Hope is a Muscle, We've Got Spirit "takes a hard look at the personal struggles of [an] intense, driven group of teenage girls and their coaches" (New York Post)Amazon.com Review
It is a measure of how encompassing the definition of sportsis today that high-school cheerleading, once considered little morethan a female ancillary to the boys in the spotlight, is nowappreciated for the athleticism and teamwork it demands. Of course,there's cheerleading, and then there's Cheerleading with a capitalC, and it's the latter, with its own intense competitions andchampionships, that McElroy lays bare for scrutiny as he lends an earto its particular rhythms. "We're the no-name sport," he hears CandyBerry, coach of the cheerleading squad at Greenup County High Schoolin rural Kentucky, complain. "We're kind of the forgottenstepchildren. But we're not. We're like Cinderella! We're comingout!"

It's that feistiness that makes We've Got Spirit soentertaining; what makes it engrossing is the way McElroy uses thissmall window to view a much larger vista. In the tradition of suchmarvelous and socially astute antecedents as In These Girls, Hope Is aMuscle, Wherethe Game Matters Most, and Friday Night Lights,McElroy follows a team's quest--Greenup's pursuit of a ninth nationalcheering title--to muck around in the larger issues of individualcharacter, the concepts of teamwork, the ethos of a community, and theimpact of success and failure. It's an amazing story, really, of theupsides and downsides of teenage girls, their supportiveness,jealousies, obsessions, and ambitions. Cheerleading may not be, asMcElroy makes clear, politically correct, but it sure can beremarkably political and filled with intrigue. Spirit iscertainly spirited--and rah-rah, sis-boom-bah for that. --JeffSilverman ... Read more

Customer Reviews (50)

GCcheer02!!!
Hello! I am a graduated cheerleader from Greenup County High School, and I can tell you that a lot of things in the book are true and some things are not true at all. Some of the things that he wrote about some of the girls was horrible. I know that some people don't like it that the cheerleaders get a lot of attention but if everyone would just go to one national competition in Orlando, FL they would understand what cheeing at Greenup is all about. Cheeing was the best days of my life, and I would give anything to go back and do it all over again, and I cheered on varsity from 9th-12th grade. But anyways to be a cheerleader at Greenup you have to be very very dedicated to cheering and only cheering, because that will be your life all through high school. But this is a good book, but just remember when you are reading it that a lot of the things are not true.

Please look far beyond the cover and the title
As a journalist and a woman still smarting from trying out for cheerleading seven times without making it, I have read Mr. McElroy's book several times and keep going back to it. Many of the reviews you will read here are of the "Harper Valley PTA" variety, which may satisfy some primitive gossipy fascination with the individuals in the book, which is unfortunate.

This is not about any stereotypical cheerleaders - nearly all of the girls on the Greenup County Kentucky squad know poverty or are just above it. They are not Daddy's princesses. They don't drive sports cars.

Yes, we do want to know what happened to the stars of the Greenup County Cheerleading team. This was their chance to escape a section of the country where women's opportunities are still limited. And in Greenup County, cheerleading is and has been a ticket out - a place where being able to land a standing back tuck (a relatively difficult tumbling stunt) can be the ticket to a college scholarship and dreams of a bright future.

Another update, nearly five years after the original printing, would be welcome, except I sure hope that all the girls don't all have babies and are working at Wal-Mart, that they haven't lost their dreams. I want to know that they made it, but according to the reviewers here, only Rachel Brown made it to continue to cheer in college. Right now I am using the first edition of the book for reference as I lent out my newer edition with the update, so please forgive my lack of clarity with this part.

I hope that Mr. McElroy, for all the abuse he has taken, is proud of the in-depth masterpiece he produced. Yes, he has a few facts wrong but when you consider the amount of comphrehensive information that he consumed and put forth, especially for a first book, I think it can be forgiven. I only say this because of the huge amount of criticism reviewers have blasted him with - people took this book real personally!

Some of his critics believe that he took advantage of the confidences of the girls. I think he was doing his job. If he were to go and do an in-depth story in any place - a ghetto, a debutante ball, the same technique would be used. As a journalist, I understand. He was right. Anything less would have not been this great book. It was necessary and right.

This book is a study in sociology. Mr. McElroy is going in-depth on a group of young women in a place that that probably no one else would bother with and does it with great insight and compassion. I hope to hear more from him in the future.

I have read both the original hardback and the paperback with added foreword. If any additional editions are published, I would recommend a different cover because the cover makes the book look like fluff. It is far from that. Also the title, "We've Got Spirit" is somewhat misleading. This book is no Afterschool Special. Another minor annoyance is the captions for the pictures are in the back of the book rather than with the pictures, making me have to work a little bit too hard. : )

Unfortunately, I doubt that many cheerleaders will read and discuss this book. It would benefit them to do so. I think that many teenagers would benefit from reading this rather than "Antigone," but please don't tell the people at my kids' school that - they will probably run me up the flagpole.

Sad to hear
I am a graduate of Greenup County and I find it very sad to hear that the county I am from is based on cheerleading.It is true too. GC is a river town that's biggest accomplishment is winning cheerleading championship.This takes the spotlight away from many other sports, not to mention students involved in Academics.I will admit that many of the comments that were made by the author were rude and many were lies.He made his own assumptions on many of the girls.When he called Wills, "Olive Oil", there was no need for that.He made her appear to be an unattractive person.I do not believe that the girls waltzed straight up to him and said all of their feelings.People must understand that while in practice you just say things to your team mates forgetting there is a man with a notebook and tape recorder sitting next to you.I know all of the girls that were written about in this book, and many of them were very hurt considering their age.Most of my best friends were/or still are a member of the GC Cheerleading Squad.Yes these girls do a great job, and I have watched them in competition, their routines and spirit is astonishing, but do not place the emphasis of GC on them. Oh yea before I forget, the author should not portray GC to be as "hickish" as he did.Yes we are a small community but we are not stupid.This town is the same as any other and we all do not think about cheerleading constantly.It was interesting though to read a book of the place I have grown up in since I was young and read about the people that I have known since I was young.These girls are normal, but he made his own sly comments that were uncalled for.Candy Berry is a wonderful person that knows what she is doing and does it well.I applaud her for a job well done.

Inside Look
"We've got spirit" gave an inside look to competitive cheerleading teams. It shows the hard work and time commitment the girls put forth. It would be an excellent book for cheerleaders or anyone who always wanted to be a cheerleader.

Excellent!
this book shows that all cheerleaders arent just airheads who wear short skirts and drive mercades bought with their daddys money. Cheerleading goes way beyond that, and theis book is in depth coverage of the stress, happiness, and hope of winning a national title. From this book you will learn what many cheerleaders go through, the sterotype that thay are percived to be, and how they cope. It is a book of inspiration, with well put humor. It shows that een though you may be in a small town, grat things are stll possible. ... Read more

Product Description
Cheerleading has undergone dramatic changes in the past decade. For the first time, those who have traditionally cheered on and supported athletes are themselves being considered athletes. Performing increasingly rigorous stunts, cheerleaders must now meet higher qualifications and follow stricter safety precautions.

With more than 700 all-new photographs, this handbook offers the latest information and instruction on: Qualifications, Conditioning, Tryouts, Cheers, Chants, Jumps, Gymnastics, Double Stunts, Pyramids, Pompom Routines, Leadership, Fund-raising Ideas, Pep Rally and Spirit Ideas.

With a detailed history of cheerleading and the role of cheerleaders in school life, and a discussion of the basic principles for understanding sports, The Official Cheerleader's Handbook is a book worth shouting about. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

The Official Cheerleader's Handbook
I should have looked at the publishing date.The attire is out dated but most of the content is usable.

cant review what wasnt received.
Didnt ever receive it. Maybe a mail error. Didnt miss it because I ordered another cheer book at the same time and it proved to be extremely useful. I was doing research and for a class, forgot to complain about the missing book. No sleep lost though, thank goodness it wasnt expensive.

Very old book
This book is advertised as the new cheerleading book... it is not! When we received it we immediatelly realized that it was very old, the pictures are all in black and white and it was written in the 70's. We returned it, as it was not at all what we wanted.

out dated
this book may be a help to you if you have never, and I mean never, had anything to do with cheerleading.It is terribly outdated for the modern, athletic cheerleader, particularly in the area of stunts.A great stunt in this book is a tree, or those old pyramids where everyone got on someone's back.However, if you are looking for nostalgia in the old rah, rah type cheering....this may be the book for you.

For the new cheerleader and coach
This one was written before most current cheerleaders were born, and the pyramid section is woefully out of date with its 3 &1/2highs, but the key ingredients on cheering how-to are all still relevant, both physically and spirit-wise.It is still, in my estimation, the best book for a beginning cheerleader to have because it has:

*Stretches which are still helpful.

*A tremendous variety of jump examples, more-so than any other book I have seen, including the C/window, & stag.Also starts with the tuck as the most basic jump rather than the toe touch.Unfortunately, it doesn't really show you the approach and landing techinques.

*More variations of arm and hand positions than any other book I've seen.

*Great pictures of what not to do when hitting motions. (Broken wrists, fly-away arms, uneven shoulders)

*Simple, basic partner stunts best suited for beginner cheerleaders who need to learn the step-lock method (at a supervised practice, of course.) Pony mount, Knee/Standing tabletop, Side sit, 'Bama sit, single based thigh stand variations, victory mount, star, flying angel, and stag catch. Their tallest stunt is a shoulder stand.No prep level or higher stunts are taught in this book, but there are pictures of some taller pyramids, a few of which are still legal.

*Good sample dance 8 counts, though a bit out of date for the Hip-hop age.But perfect if you have a marching band.

*Small section on basic tumbling, but smartly suggests that cheerleaders seek out qualified instructors to learn from.

*Several pages of cheers and chants: basic spirit, football, basketball, and wrestling

My advice? Beginning cheerleaders need this book.Intermediate and advanced cheerleaders might find it useful only if they want to consider finding ways to update some old school moves and look a little different from everyone else who attended summer camp with them.

My idea of an excellent cheering how-to library consists of this book, plus "The Ultimate Guide to Cheerleading" and "Coaching Cheerleading Successfully".

Coach ~Jen ... Read more

Product Description
Readers can learn about such interesting after-school hobbies as dance, cheerleading, and band. Each book includes a history of the activity, along with tips for getting involved and improving on skills. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

akamonie 8th grade
This book was great.Ellenrusconi is a very nice person and a great writer
... Read more

Product Description
The emergence of sport risk management, which includes the popular activity of cheerleading, is timely and important in reducing injuries and subsequent lawsuits. A risk management plan for cheerleading is needed to meet the unprecedented growth of the sport to reduce the number of injuries and subsequent lawsuits that often follow serious injuries. The purpose of Cheerleading and the Law is to provide important guidelines in developing risk management plans with risk management strategies to create a safe environment for cheerleaders on every level. The need for such a book is evident, and the authors hope to fill a void that exists today in the ever-growing activity of cheerleading. ... Read more

Product Description
Isn't all cheerleading the same? No! Doesn't one cheerleading activity lead to another? No! For example, doesn´t junior high prepare you for high school and high school prepare you for college and so, theoretically, college would prepare you for the NBA.Well, no, NBA cheerleaders are dancers and they are skilled primarily in technical dance.Traditional cheerleaders are skilled in tumbling, stunting, jumping and motion technique! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The kids love it!
Now I haven't read this book personally, but my daughter absolutely devoured it. You'd think this was the latest Harry Potter book or something. All I can say is if this book gets every young girl (or boy too I suppose) as excited about reading and cheering as it did my daughter, then this should be recommended reading for preteens and teens alike.

A Must Buy!!!!!!!!!!
Wow,what an awesome book.Cheerleading HS to the NBA gives us as readers who are clueless about the book a litle bit of everything.From history to personal experience, this is right up there with yes, I said it, the Morrison book collection.Definitely treat yourself to this treasure. ... Read more

Product Description
This work is intended for children aged 6-9 years, and features the text in Spanish. Cheerleading is a fast-growing sport that's based on teamwork, gymnastics skills, daring stunts, thrilling dances, and - of course - crowd-rousing cheers. With action-packed colour photographs and engaging text, this book debunks the myth that cheerleading is limited to the sidelines. The book covers: basic arm and leg positions; stunts and dance moves; safety in cheerleading; what makes a routine; and exciting jumps and stunts. ... Read more

Product Description

Leading fans in cheers during a sports event is an important part of cheerleading. School cheerleaders help to promote school spirit. With their enthusiasm, they bring students together to cheer on the school’s athletic teams. Cheerleaders also help create

... Read more

Product Description
Kit includes 112-page book, two pom-pons, and cassette tape. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

This was a great book!
This book was amazing! It gives great instructions and is very descriptive and easy to understand. I dont know who wrote that other reveiw - below me - but she needs to be quiet. Just because she doesnt like cheerleadingdoesnt mean other people cant. This book is great for beginer orintermediate cheerleaders. Read this before you try out!

why i think the book is going to be great
I think this book is really good for people who continuously tried to be one of the people out on the court.This is the perfect book to start with. ... Read more