Thankfully, there’s a TV show that shows how difficult and demanding the sport really is, and that’s a new Netflix documentary series called CHEER. Read on to find out ten things that the Netflix show CHEER proved to be true from Bring It On.
The Competition Is Fierce Within Your Own Squad
The squad members at Navarro College are super competitive with one another, which is something that was explored in Bring It On. In both the reality show and the fictional film, it seems like it’s impossible to get away from the feeling that you’re in constant competition with everyone else.
On CHEER, there are only a few spots available to compete at the Daytona Beach, Florida National Cheerleading Association’s Championship. Even if everyone is really talented and deserves to go, there just isn’t room for every cheerleader.
There’s One Big Event Each Year That Requires A Lot Of Planning
On CHEER, the big competition mentioned above is the focal point of the first season, and it’s what everything is riding on. That’s definitely a lot of pressure and the squad is motivated to put tons of hours of hard work in.
This echoes the cheerleading event in Bring It On where The Toros realize with sinking stomachs and extreme anxiety that they have to perform a routine that another team has just shown everyone. These “make it or break it” moments really are a big part of the experience of cheerleading.
Injuries Are Super Common
One character, Carver (Bianca Kajlich), gets hurt really bad at the beginning of Bring It On. Since her leg has broken, she has to leave the squad. If anyone was wondering if injuries are really that common in the world of cheerleading, CHEER proves that is definitely true.
It seems like in almost every episode, someone falls down while attempting to make it to the top of the pyramid or has a sore or hurt back from competing or practicing a lot.
Achieving (And Maintaining) A Pyramid Is A Real Skill
The main character in Bring It On, Torrance (Dunst) is all about a Wolf Wall “only the hardest pyramid known to cheerleading and to mankind” as one of the characters, Jan (Nathan West), explains.
CHEER also proved that a pyramid is a massive deal for a squad to achieve… and it’s an even bigger deal when the cheerleaders can actually stay there for a little bit. The show features many scenes of the squad trying to work their way up to it, with Morgan at the top. She does her best but often falls down after a split second.
Not Everyone On The Squad Gets Along
Lexi Brumback has been vocal on CHEER about how she doesn’t necessarily get along with everyone on the team, and she doesn’t seem to care about being liked or popular.
This is also something that the show proves to be true from Bring It On. Despite her popularity and positive reputation, Torrance doesn’t love a lot of the other cheerleaders, and she is often seen verbally sparring with some of them. She bonds with the new girl, Missy, but not with everyone else.
Cheerleading Can Be A Real Comfort For People
Eliza Dushku’s Bring It On character has a lot in common with one of the stars of Cheer: Lexi. She gets in trouble in the latter part of the season, which is tough to watch, but thankfully she’s been reinstated as a cheerleader.
In Bring It On, Dushku’s character Missy seems like an unlikely cheerleader as she’s cynical, bitter, and would rather wear black than a tiny uniform. But over the course of the movie, she and Tor grow closer and it seems like Missy really comes into her own as a cheerleader. CHEER has proven that cheerleading can be a real comfort for people, and viewers see this the most with girls like Lexi and Morgan Simianer who have had some struggles in the past but really love being on the team.
Some History With Gymnastics Is Helpful
Missy is very familiar with gymnastics, which is why she is able to do so well on the cheerleading squad. It turns out that some of the girls on the Navarro College squad also have similar backgrounds, including Lexi.
This comes in handy when someone is a tumbler or a flyer since those positions require a lot of hard work, effort, flexibility, and concentration. It actually seems pretty impossible to become a cheerleader without that kind of know-how as the sport is so much harder than some dance routines make it look.
There’s Always A Cheerleader That People Look Up To
When Bring It On begins, Torrance is taking over the high school team from “Big Red” (Lindsay Sloane) and she’s under a lot of pressure. She really looks up to this cheerleader and her legacy looms large over the entire cheerleading season.
Similarly, on CHEER, everyone looks up to a cheerleader named Gabi Butler. She has become famous and she has tons of social media followers as she travels to cheer in various places.
The Cradle Is An Advanced (And Terrifying) Move
In Bring It On, the characters discuss doing a “cradle” and they ask Carver if she can achieve that move. She’s super positive and determined… until, of course, she gets seriously hurt.
CHEER also shows the cheerleaders doing this move. This means that the cheerleader who is a Flyer is basically going to be in the air, and it’s considered to be an incredibly advanced move. Morgan is the one who seems to do this the most, and it’s so scary to watch every single time.
Cheerleading Is More Stressful Than People Think
Ultimately, both Bring It On and CHEER prove that cheerleading brings on a lot more stress, nerves, and anxiety than most people would probably think. It might seem like it’s just adorable uniforms and swinging pom-poms around, or learning a fun dance routine and then calling it a day, but that’s not the case at all.
The young adults on CHEER are often stressed to the point of crying and many scenes show them to be totally exhausted. In Bring It On, Tor spends a lot of the movie wondering how she’s going to achieve success with her team, and she’s often very upset and high-strung. Cheerleading isn’t an easy road, whether it’s portrayed in a feature film or a real, raw docu-series.
