This book was informative for me, I am a Cheerleading Coach, and this was informative to pass on to my girls! I didn't agree with the way that the cheerleaders or the sport of cheerleading were portrayed sometimes, but overall, it wasn't bad.

Torgovnick reveals a vibrant and nuanced world that most of us have never seen. I've held stereotypes about cheerleaders for years. But this book has dismantled those judgments and shown how being a cheerleader doesn't necessarily mean being a tiny bouncing dumb blond. Torgovnick gives us a fly-on-the-wall view of the pains and triumphs of these three teams, and along the way, we meet characters who win our hearts. Smart, funny, and honest. Anyone who is interested in subcultures (and who isn't?) should read this book!

I am 52,and a retired senior NCO from the US Army,thus hardly the type of person this book is aimed at.Therein lies the beauty of it.It immerses the reader into a fascinating world that heretofore was unknown to me."LCLM","DBAP","little girl syndrome" and "ringchaser" are just some of the terms you will learn about.Riveting,fascinating and a bit disturbing (drug abuse,eating disorders)this book will cause you to put off what you otherwise had planned because you won't want to put it down.Bravo !

This is a great book for anyone who is involved in cheerleading in some way. Honestly I'm not sure if non-cheerleaders would enjoy it. As a former member of a competitive college cheerleading team that competed against SFA for years, I find it surprising that the topics of eating disorders and steroids within the world of collegiate coed cheerleading weren't further explored. Despite the glossing over of these topics, the book is well written and very entertaining. I definitely could not put it down, and even though I knew the outcome for the teams (especially SFA, considering I was a spectator at the 07 nationals), it was still enthralling and somehow suspenseful. A MUST read for any cheerleader.

Kate Torgovnick's prose expertly captures the tension, tears and triumphs of three teams trying to make it to Nationals. I was amazed by the rigor and level of athleticism that goes into making the routines look so effortless. At moments, I literally found myself holding my breath as Torgovnick described the gravity-defying acrobatics of her cheerleading subjects. By the end of the book you'll be rooting for your favorite team.