Cheerleading has come a long way since its beginnings at a Minnesota football game in 1888. Then, all you had to do was stand and yell; today, cheerleading is one of the nation s most popular pastimes (over 80 percent of US high schools have cheerleading squads), a challenging physical activity whose participants train at different levels on teams and camps year-round, and a competitive sport covered by ESPN. "Cheerleading" is the first and only book on the market that goes inside the sport itself, to tell cheerleaders (and aspiring ones) what they really need to know: How do I get started? What kind of camp should I choose? What do I need to do to make a varsity, college, or All-Star team? What are the new trends, techniques, and stunts? Written by the editors of "Inside Cheerleading" magazine, this book gives cheerleaders, coaches, and even mascots the inside edge not only on techniques and choreography, but also on competitions, types of squads, style and attitude. The book features contributions from inspiring role models, including Lawrence Herkimer, the father of modern cheerleading, Sarah McDaniel, three-time national champion cheerleader, and Ryan Martin, a current high-school cheerleader and star of the Lifetime reality show, Cheerleader Nation. ".