Do I NEED Cheer Shoes?
If you enjoy horse riding, you wear a riding hat to protect you. If you keep fit by running, you are advised to wear running shoes to prevent damage to your feet from unsuitable footwear.
So, as a cheerleader, you need cheerleading shoes, not just white trainers, but proper cheer shoes, ESPECIALLY designed and made for cheerleaders, which will help to reduce injuries, be comfortable and secure on your foot and ensure that you perform to your max.
Not only are they designed to help keep you safe - cheerleading trainers look great and can often be matched to your uniform. Good quality cheer shoes will last you a season – and more! - even if you are wearing them for both practice nights and regular competitions, but which should you choose?
Finding the right cheer shoe
For those just starting out cheerleading, you require a basic all-purpose cheer trainer, usually white, which you can wear on club training nights as you start to learn basic cheer routines.
The shoes should have a flexible sole, be reasonably light weight and have a padded sole to cushion the impact on your feet as you jump and move about. These are great for cheer dance and pom dance routines.
American cheer brands, Zephz and Kaepa, both offer excellent all-purpose cheer trainers with Zephz’s Butterfly 3.0 providing fantastic value for new cheerleaders.
Zephz Butterfly 3.0
As you become more confident and start to tackle more ambitious routines, many active cheerleaders opt to move on to Zephz’s Tumble.
Cheer Shoes to match your uniform.
Both the Zephz and Kaepa brands have cheer trainers in their range that can be customised to match your clubs uniform colours.
Zephz Tumble
The Zephz Tumble comes with six different coloured laces and the Kaepa Cheerful comes with 15 different colours (4 triangles of each colour) that can be clicked onto the side of the shoe
Kaepa Cheerful
ALL Star, Tumbling and Flyers!
As a keen cheerleader, you may progress to being part of an “All Star” stunt group that practises pyramids, stunting and tumbling.
Here you may become a “base or back spot” - a person at the base of the pyramid who holds, catches and supports the “flyer”.
As a base you need shoes that have a solid flat sole which will feel secure and in contact with the floor as you move around the practice or performance area. As a flyer you require a flexible, ultra-light weight shoe, such as the Flyte (Nfinity) or Stellarlyte (Kaepa).
Where to buy…
Specialist cheer shoe suppliers can be found on the internet and by word of mouth from cheerleaders within your club – your club or squad may recommend a particular cheer shoe brand they want you to wear. You might try on cheer shoes from friends you train with so you know how they fit, what is the right size, and how suitable they are for you. However, all stockist of cheer shoes will be able to give you clear advice on how the brands they supply will fit.
Whatever you chose, shy away from white fashion shoes (with thick soles or high heels) as you can easily roll your ankle wearing these shoes.
Equally, a thin soled shoe will not absorb the impact you experience when tumbling and stunting.
Above all, wear cheer shoes or trainers designed and made for cheerleaders!
©Written and Published by Living Cheer – www.livingcheer.co.uk
