Paracheer
Discover a new sport
Discover new people
Discover new opportunities
Together, we are creating more inclusion in a sporting way!
Discover Paracheer - A New Discipline
This exciting initiative was born from the vision of two dedicated athletes and coaches from Aira United.
In collaboration with other organizations dedicated to inclusive sports, we organize Paracheer workshops. Our goal is to make this beautiful discipline accessible to everyone, regardless of their background or limitations.
If you're interested in organizing a Paracheer workshop in collaboration with us, we are always open to discussions. We are committed to promoting inclusion and sharing the joy of Paracheer with a broader audience. Together, we can achieve more.
Previous Workshops: In the previous season, we proudly organized our first Paracheer workshop. It was a significant milestone in our journey towards inclusivity and diversity in the world of sports. We look forward to continuing these efforts and involving more people in Paracheer.
Stay updated on the latest developments in Paracheer by following our website and social media channels. Together, we can embrace this exciting discipline and make it accessible to everyone. If you're interested in participating in our workshops or collaborating, please don't hesitate to contact us at paracheer@belgiancheer.be. Together, we can break boundaries and discover the power of Paracheer.
How Does a Paracheer Workshop Proceed?
Our Paracheer workshops are designed to provide an educational and enjoyable experience. Here's what you can expect:
- Introduction and Warm-up: We begin each workshop with a brief introduction. We then dive right into a warm-up session. It's crucial that our bodies are well-prepared for physical activity to prevent injuries and ensure a safe workshop.
- Basics of Cheerleading: Jumps and Motions: We delve into the fundamental principles of cheerleading, focusing on jumps and motions. This forms the foundation of Paracheer and provides athletes with a solid starting point.
- Stunts - the Core of the Workshop: The heart of our workshop lies in stunts. We start by explaining the basic techniques and support this with regular demonstrations to ensure clarity. Then, the athletes get hands-on, practicing stunts and collaborating. We aim to conclude the stunts with a brief performance where athletes can showcase what they've learned.
- Cool-down with Stretching: At the end of the workshop, we take a moment for stretching. This cooldown phase is essential for promoting flexibility and reducing muscle tension after the intensive stunts.
Our workshop structure is not only focused on teaching new skills but also on creating a fun and memorable experience for all participants. We believe in promoting inclusivity and sharing the excitement of Paracheer with everyone.
Different Disciplines in Paracheer
Paracheer Discipline: Adaptive Abilities
In the Adaptive Abilities category within Paracheer, athletes with various limitations are welcome, including physical, intellectual, and sensory limitations, as well as athletes without limitations. National competitions typically require that between 1% and 99% of the athletes in a Paracheer team have a limitation. For international competitions, the requirements may vary, depending on IPC guidelines. The Adaptive Abilities category is further divided into different levels, such as Beginner, Novice, Intermediate, Median, and Advanced.
Paracheer Discipline: Special Olympics
Special Olympics involves athletes with intellectual limitations. There are two types of teams: 'traditional teams,' where all team members have an intellectual limitation, and 'Unified teams,' where at least 50% of the athletes have an intellectual limitation. To compete in this category, athletes must have their intellectual limitation diagnosed before the age of 18 and have an IQ of 70/75 or lower. All athletes with a limitation must submit an application to the 'Special Olympic Program.'
Paracheer Discipline: Special Abilities
Special Abilities also focuses on athletes with intellectual limitations. It is divided into two types of teams: 'traditional teams' (where all team members have an intellectual limitation) and 'Unified teams,' where 1% to 99% of the athletes may or may not have an intellectual limitation.
For further information about IPC guidelines and Paralympic categories, you can refer to the IPC Classification website.
These disciplines within Paracheer provide athletes with different types of limitations the opportunity to participate in cheerleading based on their level and situation. It emphasizes inclusion and equal opportunities for all participants, regardless of their limitations.
Our goal is to bring more inclusion to sports, and specifically to Cheer. Cheer is currently a rapidly growing sport in Belgium. We want to make it clear to people what it entails and dispel any prejudices. At the same time, we aim to be accessible to everyone, regardless of who you are or how you look – everyone is welcome.
If we may speak of dreams, our big dream is to establish a ParaCheer team to participate in the World Cheerleading Championship. We initiated this dream by conducting various workshops to introduce ParaCheer to all of Belgium. Then, we plan to create a team where we can explore everything together. In this way, we can build up gradually and hopefully prepare them for performances and competitions. These might sound like big and distant dreams, but we have a lot of ambition and enthusiasm, and we are willing to do everything to motivate young people and provide them with the opportunities they deserve.