By DANIEL SUBRAMANIAM
alltherage@thestar.com.my

IT’S crunch time! School holidays are just around the corner, which means no school, no homework and more time to practise.

With the Cheer 2012 finals less than a month away, this is the perfect opportunity for teams to fine tune their stunts.

Every year, the competition gets more and more intense. Teams shout louder, jump higher and perform crazier stunts. It is, after all, Malaysia’s premier secondary school cheerleading competition.

While there’s no “I” in the word team, if one team member fumbles, it can have a huge impact on the rest of the team. Sounds a little over-dramatic? Well, when you’re ten feet in the air and the person catching you is nowhere to be seen, that could cost you dearly, like an arm and a leg (literally).

The finals will be held at Stadium Malawati, Shah Alam, and we’re sure there’ll be plenty of dazzling stunts on display. To ensure that their routines are flawless, and none of those stunts go wrong, each cheerleader has to play their individual roles to perfection.
Yes, just like basketball, football or any other team sport, cheerleaders have their positions as well. Here’s a rundown of some of the basic positions in cheerleading:
Bases
These cheerleaders essentially make up the foundation of each stunt. They stay on the ground to provide support for the flyer during a stunt. Bases help lift the flyer into the air and give strong base support for them. They do this by having a firm grip on the flyer’s foot (using the correct technique) and carrying a majority of the flyer’s weight. Bases can be either male or female.

Flyers
As you’ve probably guessed, flyers are the cheerleaders who “fly” into the air during a stunt. Being a flyer is no easy job, they are the main highlight of the stunt and all eyes are on them during the routine. To pull this off, they have to keep a steady focus on what they are doing or risk ruining the whole routine. Strong core muscles and good balance is essential for a flyer when performing a stunt.
Spotters
In the cheerleading world, the first four letters of “Spotter” is thought to stand for Save Person On Top. Spotters can be considered the safety net of a stunt, keeping their feet on the ground and their eyes on the flyers. If a flyer falls backwards or forwards, it is the Spotter’s job to catch him/her. They also help “carry” the flyers into the bases hands.

Traditional Cheer powerhouses the Titans from SMJK Ave Maria Convent, Ipoh, Perak performing their routine at Cheer 2009. Don't need us to tell you which cheerleaders are the 'flyers' and which are the 'bases', right?