At the collegiate level cheerleading squads ARE a sporting event unto themselves. Squads provide support for championship teams, they provide entertainment for throngs of fans, and at the same time they are key in crowd control and sporting event management. But what about cheering scholarship opportunities?
Unfortunately cheerleading, as of yet, is not recognized as one of the NCAA, NAIA or the NJCAA athletic teams. So you can't currently expect any massive amount of scholarship cash flowing from those sources. But cheering is a highly demanding sport, nevertheless, and believe it or not, there are some very good sources for cheerleading scholarship money.
Scholarships for College Athlete/Cheerleaders
Without cheerleaders few sports would be the same. Today’s modern cheer squad is often a mix of men and women, all of whom are top caliber athletes.
Be warned that getting a spot on a top cheer squad can be as daunting and competitive as trying to land a spot on a top football team. Cheer squads for the leading college sports teams often participate in competitive activities well beyond those associated with cheerleading a football or basketball game.
One of the very best sources for cheerleading scholarship money is through your own college or university. Schools with funding to offer cheer scholarships may only have modest awards, but these small financial boons may help team members pay for uniforms and may help with offsetting costs associated with team travel.
The college or university of you choose should definitely be looked into for scholarship opportunities; and the State where the college is located may have additional scholarship funds available. One good resource to get you started on State scholarships is Top Cheers.