The Official Cheerleader's Handbook Reviews

• Not for today's cheerleader

  
  By on 2002-07-23
  This book, while helpful in some ways, is not ideal for today's more active and athletic Varsity or All-Star cheerleader. I would definitely reccommend this book for less competitive squads, like Pop Warner or J.V. Beginning cheerleaders and new coaches may find this book useful. But personally, with five years experience, I didn't learn too much from it. Instructional videos or competitions on ESPN will benefit competitive cheerleaders more. The tumbling section has detailed pictures of performing a back handspring, and some of the spirit/fundraising ideas are good. The stunting pictures are very outdated, and could use some updating. There are very few free-standing stunts, basically everything is old-fashioned pyramids. The basic stunts they show are pretty innovative, and would be good for Pop Warner cheerleaders. If they revamped this portion of the book, I would give it a higher rating. GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY CHEERLEADING!
  
  

• Good for novice coaches

  
  By A2LQ1548FD845H on 2000-08-08
  I coach Pop Warner (little league) cheerleaders. This is the best book I've found for cheer ideas, fundamentals, and stunt safety. The pictures are outdated, but the basics are all intact and correct. Highly recommended for new coaches.
  
  

• Best Book on Cheerleading!!

  
  By AOR590VF8YI5J on 2003-02-09
  What a great book! I'm a cheerleader and a gymnast, and I've found it to be a fantastic resource! This book is perfect for all levels of cheerleading, whether you're a Pop Warner cheerleader or a Varsity cheerleader. It has tons of hints, tips, and instructions. There are thousands of photos. In here, there are jumps, cheers, chants, gymnastics, routines, stunts, pyramids, tryout tips, and sooo much more! This book has helped me become a much better cheerleader and I've appreciated everything I learned from it. This book deserves three cheers!!
  
  

• This book needs to be updated

  
  By on 2000-01-16
  This book is outdated, however its is very helpful in cheerleading teaching stunting, cheers, jump, and general cheerleading information. If you a good book about the basics of cheerleading, then this is a good book for you!
  
  

• It was very helpful and taught me alot.

  
  By on 1998-11-12
  This cheerleading book was extremely helpful for me to learn new cheers, chants, moves, and routines. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to any present or future cheerleader. It includes so much helpful information about cheerleading, and I am a 100% better cheerleader now for having read and studied this book. I went from living in a car with my two sisters and three brothers, to becoming a really popular cheerleader at my high school here in Alabama. I would like to say to all customers that this is a tight book!
  
  
• This book is way too outdated!!
  By on 1999-09-22
  I think this book was a poor display of cheerleading! and as for the Bradleah chick who read this and thinks she is a "really popular cheerleader" get a life! cheerleading doesn't make you popular, and with an attitude like that, you won't get far in life!!
  
  
• For the new cheerleader and coach
  By A1FG4UIZZWDRQE on 2004-12-31
  This one was written before most current cheerleaders were born, and the pyramid section is woefully out of date with its 3 &1/2 highs, 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
  
  
• Stunts,jumps,cheers/chants,tumbling,pyramids and more!
  By on 1998-11-22
  The All-new Cheerleaders Handbook gives many pages of information for any coach(or sponsor/advisor),cheerleader,cheer squad,or anyone who wants to know about cheerleading. Great resource for captains,coaches and cheerleading instructors.
  
  
• Great Book!! I loved it alot!!
  By on 2001-03-14
  This book shows you step-by-step ways to perform incredible stunts such as pyramids. Being a Varsity Cheerleader this was a great book for reference. It was very helpful. Thanks to this book we put on a good performence and really pepped up our players and had a year full of tons of victorys! Read it! It's incredible!!
  
  
• The book was OK.
  By A3FINMURS0FJBA on 1999-09-09
  It was okay and it tought me how to do alot of jumps and the cheers were good. It didn't show the moves to the cheers. It didn't tell you how to do the lifts. It didn't even tell you how many people you needed.
  
  
• great pics, jumps, cheers and great advice for captains .
  By on 1999-08-22
  I thought it was great. I've always been a cheerleader from the age of 15. I've had many coaches and learn't lots of new dances and cheers but us cheerleaders in oz are very different from those of you in america. This book is definantely for americans ONLY. But it's great if you'd like to explore the world of cheerleading from another countries perspective.
  
  
• Good Pics. but old stuff that is illegel
  By on 1999-02-28
  The book is great if you were cheering in the 70's or 60's. I liked the book because of the old stunting pictures that can be modified to a great stunt groups. Alot of girls or a small amount you can use many of the stunts!
  
  
• It was very helpful and I learned alot.
  By on 1998-11-21
  This book is very helpful for any present or future cheerleader. It illustrates how-to's for moves, cheers, chants, routines, squad lines, jumps, etc. I recommend this book for learning about cheerleading.
  
  
• this book has everything from how to act to cheers!
  By on 1999-05-09
  This book helped me to make Norwayne cheerleading squad. It tought me to become a better cheerleader. This book was great
  
  
• This book is great.
  By on 1999-12-24
  This book, despite being published in the 1980's, still has some relevant things in it.
  Motions, jumps, pyramids, tumbling, and cheers are covered in this book.
  This book also tells the history of organized cheerleading.
  This book is a must have for any cheerleading coach/squad.
  
  

• The Ultimate Guide to Cheerleading: For Cheerleaders and Coaches
• Coaching Cheerleading Successfully
• Cheer!
• Developing A Successful Cheerleading Program (Developing a Successful Program)
• Youth Cheerleading Unleashed: A Parent's and Player's Gude to the Fundamentals of the Sport