By Abby Drake
Staff Writer

A group of high school cheerleaders form the town of Bridgeport, Connecticut are protesting against their skimpy cheerleading uniforms, and are requesting to have uniforms that cover more of their body up.

There are countless people who do not approve of cheerleading uniforms and the areas that they show. But what they do not understand is that the current cut and style of uniforms is necessary so that execution of skills goes smoothly.

Cheerleading used to wear skirts down to their knees and thick knitted sweaters, which was fine for the skills they wanted to perform. Cheerleading has long since evolved and so must the uniforms.

“The physical demands have become much harder and so the girls need more room to move, and shots skirts and fitted tops are the best for their tumbling and stunting,” Cheerleading coach Brynlea Taylor said.

Football players’ jerseys and pants have become smaller, lighter and tighter so that their performance on the field is remarkable. Cheerleaders are face with a similar adjustment.

“Asking cheerleaders to wear long skirts would be like asking football players to wear jeans, it just wouldn’t work,” varsity cheerleader Courtney Warren said.

The flips, rotations, and jumps that cheerleaders do, call for outfits that do not restrict any major muscle area. The skirts have to be short so that the girls’ legs can easily move and the tops have to be cut so the shoulders are not caught of thick sleeves.

It is valid to say that cheerleader uniforms do not follow dress codes for the school; however there is not enough money for Coppell High School’s cheerleaders to two separate uniforms, one to meet the rules of the school and another one to meet the rules of physics.

“The hemline of skirts pushes the boundaries and at school it defies the student hand book, but it is necessary to be short,” Taylor said.

It is interesting to note that cheerleaders get criticized for their uniforms while volley bally players are able to wear their short spandex in form of the whole school without any grievance. Similarly the Lariettes uniforms only offer a thin line of fringe to cover parts of their body, yet there is no complaints.

If cheerleaders were asked to wear a different type of uniform a sense of tradition would be stolen from the school. The skirts with striped hems and the tops with bold letters are a symbol of school spirit.

If, instead cheerleaders were asked to wear long pants and loose fitting shirts at games and pep rallies then it really would feel like a game day. Also other school would notice our cheerleader’s odd uniforms and criticize our school.

What some people would call skimpy others would call safe, and safety is much more important than look. Cheerleaders are athletes too, so much like football players, baseball players, and volleyball players they need the proper equipment to keep them protected during rigors physical activity.