[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 52 (Wednesday, April 17, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E481-E482]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     A TRIBUTE IN RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL CHEERLEADING SAFETY MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. STEPHEN LEE FINCHER

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 17, 2013

  Mr. FINCHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize that March was 
National Cheerleading Safety Month. I would like to commend the 
leadership efforts of Varsity Brands, which is located in Memphis, 
Tennessee, in promoting safety in cheerleading. Varsity Brands employs 
300 people in the Memphis area, and 5,000 people across the country.

[[Page E482]]

   I would also like to commend Varsity Brand's support for USA Cheer, 
the United States All Star Federation (USASF), and the American 
Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators (AACCA). Through 
the CheerSafe initiative led by these organizations, the safety of more 
than 3 million cheerleaders is improved.
   CheerSafe members work to ensure that every cheerleading team is 
trained under the direction of a knowledgeable coach. Members also 
ensure that every cheerleading team follows the established safety 
rules and has an emergency plan in place. To this end, the CheerSafe 
coalition provides training to more than 4,500 coaches and instructors 
each year.
   In addition, AACCA and USA Cheer have partnered to distribute 
concussion information to coaches of over 400,000 cheerleaders. There 
are currently more than 20,000 coaches across the United States who 
have completed the AACCA Risk Management course and are in good 
standing. Through these efforts, the risk of participation in 
cheerleading has decreased since 2006 and the risk of serious injury is 
now lower than in many other school sports.
   USA Cheer is the national governing body for sport cheering. It 
exists to help grow and develop interest and participation throughout 
the United States. The program is designed to promote safety education, 
while representing the United States in international competitions.
   USASF's mission is to support and enrich the lives of All Star 
athletes and members. It provides consistent rules, strives for a safe 
environment, drives competitive excellence, and promotes a positive 
image for the sport.
   AACCA was created to form a structured platform for cheerleading 
safety. The first set of standard safety rules were published in 1988 
and the first Cheerleading Safety Manual in 1990.
   Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to please join me in recognizing 
the combined efforts of Varsity Brands, USA Cheer, the United States 
All Star Federation for Cheer and Dance Teams, and the American 
Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators to prevent 
injuries and increase safety in cheerleader performance.

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