Last week, Prairie View A&M University senior cheerleader Bethany Norwood sustained multiple injuries after performing a “basket toss” during cheerleader practice on campus. According to an Associated Press article, the cheerleader was with other teammates without the supervision of a coach or an adviser.
“He told me she showed up after it happened,” said Bobby Norwood, Bethany’s father to the Associated Press.
In the wake of the accident, Southern University cheerleaders and coaches have given their perspective on the accident.
“We don’t realize that even the simplest skill can be dangerous when you don’t know what you are doing or when you have inexperienced people,” said James Smith, Southern University cheerleading coach. “So it’s really important as coaches for us to be there to realize and to understand the talents of our kids, their capabilities and their limitations.”When performing a basket toss, there are the “bases” and there is the “flyer”. A base is the person who is usually tossing a flyer and the flyer is the person who is being tossed. Norwood’s position was normally that of a base. During the accident, she was a flyer.
“My daughter is a base and has been a base for years,” said Norwood’s father.
The recent tragedy has left many in the cheerleading community wondering why the cheerleaders were practicing unsupervised. Now the 5’4″, 155 lb., four-time national high school cheerleading champion may be a quadriplegic for the rest of her life.
“None of that should’ve happened without a coach. There should be a coach at all times,” said Southern University cheerleader Brandy Bradford, a junior political science major from Houston. “If our coach isn’t there, all we do is go over chants and cheers. We don’t do any major stunts, especially not any basket tosses because it’s too dangerous.”
Norwood will have to remain in a body cast for the next four to five months before she can begin any physical therapy.
“I send love, blessings and prayers out to the family and to that cheerleading squad that’s going through this,” Smith said. “To all the other squads, I say please be safe and be careful because life is a very precious thing. It’s hard when it’s been altered by something that really isn’t your fault and when you put your life in someone else’s hand, make sure that you’re safe.
