Fatter but not Taller

Just read an article on Yahoo news about Singapore soccer.

SINGAPORE : Singapore football captain Noh Alam Shah has slammed Singapore football, saying it is stagnant.

The 29 year old said he has had enough of Singapore football, citing a lack of motivation due to poor attendances at S.League matches.

So has cheerleading in Singapore reached a stagnant point too? In my opinion, it is not stagnant yet to some extent. Why do I only say to some extent? This is because, it is still expanding slowly, albeit only horizontally; more teams are sprouting and more people are joining cheer. However, it is not growing vertically, the skills level and competition standards at the top are not getting better. For example, we may be able to see 7-8 liberties/cupies in a routine from more teams, but we are not seeing even 4-5 toss cupies/fullup liberties in a routine. We are having more teams with round off back tucks, but not more 3 element passes or more advance element like round off twist layouts.

So are we stuck at the current level due to a lack of motivation too? Due to the lack of people or sponsors who appreciate the sport of cheerleading?

In my opinion, Noh Alam Shah was only half right. Did he question himself why are there poor attendances at S.League matches? As a soccer supporter myself and from my point of view, people stop turning up to watch because of poor performaces put up in the soccer matches; the standard of play did not improve "vertically" over the past 10 years.

Soccer is a far more matured sport in Singapore compared to cheerleading. Is Singapore cheer going to become like Singapore soccer one day, when it is no longer even expanding horizontally? So how to solve the issue of lack of motivation and support to improve, and/or to improve in order to get support and motivation? This is a chicken and egg problem; that we all will just have to do our part to solve.

I just hope that down the road, Cheerleading in Singapore need not have to face the same fate as Singapore soccer. If something has to be done, it has to be done now.


P.S: Support/Motivation and Standard of Cheerleading; which comes first? It is just like Technique and Strength; which comes first?