Roth Regatta

Can you imagine a cheerleader without pom poms? This striking stuff has added a little chic and glamour, and most importantly, tons of fun to those cheer dances and spectacular stunts for as long as there have been cheerleaders. The pom poms became part and parcel of the cheerleader’s attire during the mid 1930s when high schools and universities started using them. The early pom poms were made of crepe paper and were quite fragile. This posed a problem as the threads of the pom poms continuou

sly fall out as cheerleaders perform their routine. Also, in case of rain or snow during an event, the crepe paper pom poms soaked easily and the colors of the strands blend together. Ultimately, the moisture causes the pom poms to disintegrate all together long before the event had ended.

So in 1965 the vinyl version of the pom poms was introduced. The invention of the vinyl pom poms revolutionized its use in modern day cheerleading. With vinyl, the pom poms can now be tailored to be lighter,

with multiple options of batons and handles tucked within the pom poms. Moreover, the color patterns and choices of presentation became virtually endless. With the advent of the vinyl pom poms, cheerleaders can make them shake violently, dazzle brightly and stay in one piece come rain or shine.

The pom poms continue to evolve and they now come in a variety of shapes and sizes, including cheer balls which are ideal for practice to secure the bigger and more expensive pom poms from wear and tea

r. The cheer balls are also perfect during cheers that require a series of pom passes since they have no handles or batons to hamper the ease of movement or may accidentally cause the pom poms to drop.

Now that the materials used for pom poms have greatly improved, it doesn’t mean that poms no longer require maintenance and proper care. You definitely want to keep your poms fluffy, colorful,  bright and shiny for big events and competitions. The poms available today can afford to get wet, but it’s still wise to try to keep them dry as much as possible, or at least make it a habit to wipe them dry before storing them. On the other hand, heat also poses another risk as it can make vinyl poms to stick together. Lastly, proper storage is also essential. You should not throw the poms into a pile when you’re done with them, no matter how draining your practice or performance may be. Store them cautiously, preferably in a pom bag and once you pull them out, try to ‘fluff’ them by holding a few threads at a time and crumple them up to give that added volume to your poms.

Aside from vinyl, there are now other choices in terms of materials for pom poms. The sizes and configurations also vary widely. You can choose between small or large, short or long fibers, vinyl, metallic, mixed or single color, loop, flair cap,  baton or dowel style handles for your pom poms. Each of these has their own advantages and is chosen for a specific purpose depending on the type of your performance. Whichever the case, make a smart choice and take good care of those pom poms and pass on the fun and excitement of cheerleading for years to come.

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