A cheerleading group in Paisley is running a Dallas Cowboys session this week, inspired by the popular new Netflix show bringing the sport to new audiences.
Twist & Hit will be running the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders fitness fundraiser on July 24 in their Paisley gym, offering all budding young cheerers the chance to “learn the famous routines, and experience what it really takes to become a DCC.”
The session seeks to build on the runaway success of the new Netflix series America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, which showcases the trials and tribulations of a group of women seeking to join the world’s most famous cheerleading outfit.
Leah Aitkenhead, the 26 year old Twist & Hit coach who will be running the DCC session this week, says the series has given people a different perspective on how tough the lifestyle of professional cheerleading can be.
“I really enjoyed the show,” said Leah. “I binge watched it over one weekend!
“It shows how hard working the girls are, and the time and effort they put into being a cheerleader.
“I think for outsiders looking in, they probably think ‘oh, it’s just dancing, they’re just dancers.’ They don’t understand what you have to go through to succeed. They don’t realise how demanding it is. But it takes a lot.
“People think that cheerleading is just throwing pom poms about. But there’s so much more to it - especially all-star cheerleading, which involves stunts and tumbles. It’s very physically demanding.”
Despite having cheered competitively for 17 years, and coached for 11, Leah says that she does not envy the life of a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader.
“I couldn’t do it,” she said. “They have no free time. A lot of them have full-time jobs besides being a DCC.
“They’re working full-time, then practising after work Monday to Friday, then a game on the weekend. So it really takes up their lives. It’s crazy!”
While doing it professionally may not be for everyone, Leah says that there are many benefits to joining a cheerleading team.
“It teaches you to be really resilient,” she said. “When you first start, you need to work very hard to reach the skill levels required. It definitely teaches you a certain toughness.
“It also teaches you to work together in a team as well. When you’re in a stunt group, there’s four of you, so you’ve really got to figure out how best to work together.
“You make so many friends from it, and it’s great for fitness as well.”
Besides the Dallas Cowboys session, which costs £10 and is open to all, Twist & Hit have also been running free sessions over the summer in partnership with Renfrewshire council.
“It’s great to bring people in who have never done cheerleading before,” said Leah. “Or they’ve maybe seen a video and thought ‘I want to try that.’ The sessions are a great way to try it without having to commit to a team.
“We’d really encourage anyone who’s interested to give it a go. It’s great for kids to have something fun and free they can do over the summer.
“And it takes some stress off the parents, who can happily just drop their kids off at the gym for a few hours.”
More information can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/twistandhit
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here