Cheerleading Camps for Teenagers in Texas

Football in Texas, it is said, is nearly an independent religion, and cheerleading in Texas can be just as competitive, with many parents starting their children̵7;s cheerleading careers off not long after they can walk. Every year, Texas cheerleaders of all ages go off to camp to perfect their toe touch and basket toss, get ideas for game day and competition routines and to do some quality team bonding. Based on data from the National Federation of State High School Associations, Texas has about 27,200 cheerleaders.

  1. National

    • Texas cheerleaders attract big, national organizations. The National Cheerleaders Association is a leader in cheer camps, with teams all over the country from youth to college. Texas cheerleaders can choose among overnight and day camps, comprehensive to specific programs, and the NCA can bring the camp to their facility. In addition to team camps, NCA has an option for youths might not be affiliated with a team to perfect their skills and prepare for future tryouts. NCA has one of the biggest national competitions at the high school, college and all-star level. After attending an NCA camp, teams and individuals are eligible for competition bids. Other large organizations such as the American Cheerleading Association and the Universal Cheerleading Association run similar programs.

    Local

    • Texas cheerleaders can attend camps at their local gym. Cheer and gymnastic gyms can be found across the state and most cheerleaders or teams belong to one. Many of these gyms host camps during the summer, an option for parents of younger cheerleaders because they often accept athletes at a younger age than the larger organizations. Another draw for local gyms is that camp staff are often the same staff who work at the gym year-round, so if a cheerleader is a member of that gym, the staff already has a familiarity with that athlete̵7;s skill level and weaknesses, allowing for more personalized training.

    Leagues

    • Another option for Texas cheerleaders are local leagues and city park and recreation departments. These options are best for families who want their children involved in cheerleading as a way to have fun, but are not interested in competition or costly private camps. Leagues such as Pop Warner or the Texas Youth Football and Cheer Association are run by volunteers and start accepting cheerleaders as young as 3 years of age. Typically less expensive than private gyms, the level of instruction in these leagues is lower and camp choices are usually limited to day camp only.

    Big Business

    • In 2011, the dominant national company in competitive cheerleading, Tennessee-based Varsity Brands Inc., had $300 million in revenues, an 8 percent increase over the previous year. Varsity has 475 employees and safety has improved in cheerleading as the company expanded.

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