Update: Giveaway is closed. Thanks for stopping by! Congrats to my giveaway winner, Kim.

Today, I co-hosted a talk over at The Motherhood in honor of National Cheerleading Safety Month where we talked about cheerleading as a growing sport among young girls. But, just like any sport, it is important to take safety seriously.

As a part of this talk, I am giving away a Varsity cheer tote, water bottle and blanket. So, please keep reading for details below to comment for a chance to win!

Here are some important points brought up in today's talk:

When should girls start cheering? Any age that a program is available.

Why should girls join a cheerleading squad? Just like other sports, it builds confidence and self-esteem and lowers drop-out rates. Many girls who are cheerleaders also feel comfortable taking on other leadership roles.

What if girls don't make the squad? Try other sports like dance or track or look for local All-Star and gymnastics programs.

Does my child have the right body type? Multiple body shapes and sizes are needed for a successful squad. For example, lightweight small kids are needed for the top of the pyramid while stronger taller kids are needed for the bases.

Are modest uniforms available? Check out the selection of uniforms at Varsity. There are many to pick from.

Here are some takeaway's from Varsity's Teen Survey:

• Safety Comes First: As part of national cheerleading safety month, we wanted to address the issue of safety. Every injury is one too many. Safety is the biggest priority for our cheerleaders and coaches.
• Varsity is doing a lot to promote cheer safety and injury prevention, but we need to do even more to keep cheerleaders safe as it evolves.
• Survey Stats: Varsity surveyed 1,016 teen girls ages 13-18 to represent the roughly 14 million teen girls across the United States
• 65 percent of high school girls participate in a school sport
• Participating in athletics helps teen girls make new friends (86%) and gives them a built-in support system (65%). For example, compared to the average teen girl, cheerleaders are more likely to hold leadership positions
• What to do to make sure YOU (or your child) stays safe:
  o Know the rules for your school, college or all-star division/level
  o Ensure your squad has a Rehearsed Emergency Plan and has practiced it
  o Only perform stunts, tumbling and routines on appropriate surfaces
  o Warm up before stretching, jumping, tumbling, stunting and dancing
  o Only attempt new skills in the presence of a skilled instructor
  o Take the iCheerSafe pledge, which asks cheerleaders to commit to their responsibility to cheerleading safety

Personal Notes:

I was cheerleader (see picture HERE) for one year in high school. I'll be honest. I wasn't the most coordinated child. I didn't make it the second year. It is a leadership position and you have to focus so you don't make mistakes that can hurt others or yourself (in terms of stunts, etc.). One of my "don't try this at home" moments happened when I tried doing a backbend in my carpeted room, with no spotter. I landed on my head where a ball of wax came loose and hit my eardrum. I had to go to a ear specialist to have it removed.

But, I enjoyed the work-out and coming up with new cheers. It was extremely painful when I didn't make it again. I didn't turn to another sport. I instead turned to community service and was awarded for my efforts. I still wish I could have been a cheerleader again.

So, I encouraged my daughter to join when she showed an interest this year. She had done some gymnastics and had the body for it. She just didn't have whatever the coach was looking for in terms of "cheer" personality. She made the alternate squad – which means she was welcome to join the practices and learn the cheers but not get a uniform or go to games. Since communication is often word of mouth, she missed practices and eventually lost interest. Again, it was tough seeing her go through this but then she started track and is really enjoying it. I realized that part of the problem in the missed cheerleading practices was her shyness. She didn't want to ask the teacher what was going on.

Cheerleading does take a unique person who is already a little outgoing and is willing to perform in front of a crowd. But, that's true of most sports where you have to block out the audience and focus completely on doing the best job you can do. I do think it builds confidence and it is a great opportunity for kids who get to do it. For those that don't, there is plenty out there to participate in. Don't give up!

GIVEAWAY Rules:

1. Comment here for a chance to win a Varsity Cheer Tote, Water Bottle and Blanket. And, feel free to share your experiences in the whole cheerleading realm.

2. Tweet, blog, Facebook or subscribe to this blog for more chances to win – and of course, come back here and tell me you did it in separate comments.

3. Contest runs through this Friday, March 25, 2011.