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Pennsylvania cheer squads participated in charity competition, with proceeds going to the local Boys and Girls Club.

Often, the talents of young cheerleaders go overlooked when they spend most of their time spreading school spirit on the sidelines at football games. Elementary and middle school-aged squads, which don't generally compete, rarely get to be the center of attention. Once a year, however, young cheer teams from all over Pennsylvania gather for the CheerFest Cheer for Charity. This year's event was held on October 12th in the Chambersburg Area Senior High School Gymnasium, and over 450 girls got to participate.

Excitement levels were high during the Saturday cheer competition as teams prepared to try to wow the judges with their two-and-a-half minute routines. The event was divided into four age groups (smurf, junior varsity, mid-varsity, and varsity), but all of the girls had to be in kindergarten through 8th grade to participate. The event organizer and president of the Keystone Youth Football and Cheerleading League, Alan Kline, noted that the event is

Making a varsity cheerleading squad is rewarding but also requires a lot of hard work. If you are unsure how to properly execute moves, you could end up getting hurt. Rather than ending up on the bench because of an injury, consider doing some extra practice at home to help you excel as a cheerleader. Each practice  will make you sharper on your toes and will mentally prepare you for the moves you need to do. Rather than risk injury by practicing on your own, safely practice at home, with the help of a spotter, and can get you in shape while learning the proper way to pull it off! Have a Spotter: In order to stay safe while practicing, have someone else available to spot you as you do jumps, flips, tumbles and other basic cheerleading moves. They will have an eye for what you might be doing incorrectly and can help get you back on track. Working in pairs is the best way to gain knowledge from each other while practicing your moves. A spotter will also be there to catch you or support you as you perfect your skills. Flexibility: One way to

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Innovative topical hand cream will stop your hands from perspiring when you need to avoid sweaty palms.

Before you head out onto the floor to do your cheer routine at a game or competition, you need to make sure you are in top form. Unfortunately, with pre-game jitters can come the tendency to sweat in the most inconvenient places. While a good antiperspirant should keep away potential embarrassment, if you have sweaty palms while cheerleading, it can actually be dangerous. After all, no one wants to be the base who accidentally loses their grip because of slippery hands. Tite-Grip is an innovative product that has become very popular among all kinds of athletes, but especially cheerleaders. Apply just a little of this topical cream to your palms, and your hands will stay bone dry.

Invented by Joe Ginger, a former PGA golfer, Tite-Grip is a patented hand cream that acts like an antiperspirant when applied to your palms. Ginger originally came up with the product to improve his golf grip, but he quickly found that the cream had applications in several athletic activities.

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All cheerleaders will have different levels of gymnastics experience coming into their first days on a new squad. You may find that you are better at tumbling or stunts than some of the other members of your team, but perhaps some other people are more flexible than you. Flexibility, especially in your legs, is an essential element of a good cheerleader. As you reach a more advanced level, you might be asked to do the splits or perform more intense jumps that you need to be limber enough to complete safely. Luckily, anyone can increase their flexibility with a little hard work, and you can use a tool called the SplitFlex to aid in your stretching.

The SplitFlex is designed to safely and easily let you stretch your legs all the way up to 180 degrees. Its innovative design supports your back while you stretch, which allows you to progress more quickly and also reduces your risk of injury. Using the SplitFlex is simple. Sitting down with the back support behind you, you place your feet through the foot straps and adjust your legs to a comfortable position. You then pull on the rope