American Cheerleader

While many fans associate cheerleading with pom poms, athletic outfits and color-coordinated hair ribbons, coaches and competition judges agree that the most important part of any cheer uniform is your smile.

Cheer is all about inspiring spirit. It shows off your enthusiasm, how much you love what you’re doing and it’s infectious—audiences can’t help but smile when they see a smiling cheer team giving it their all.

At the same time young cheerleaders are developing their skills and starting to enter major competitions, many are also dealing with straightening their teeth. Research shows that teens with braces smile less—not an option for cheerleaders, but the good news is that there are new, modern alternatives to traditional metal braces. We recently talked with 12 year-old cheerleader Lily Shropshire from New Orleans, LA, about how she achieved her ready-to-cheer smile while continuing her normal cheerleading schedule.

Why do you think having a great smile is so important in a performance sport like cheerleading?

Lily: Cheerleading is about first impressions. Not smiling makes the judges think that you’re not having fun and enjoying  yourself. A very important award in cheerleading is the Spirit Award—you have to smile and have fun. This is what the judges are always looking for.

When you learned you needed braces, what was your first thought? Were you concerned braces might interfere with your cheerleading?

Lily: My first thought was, “Is it is going to hurt? What about cheering and tumbling?” I’ve been cheering since I was six and love performing in front of big crowds – you have to be confident. I thought braces might make me self-conscious and I worried that I’d get hurt. Then I found Invisalign Teen—I was excited to learn that I could straighten my teeth without metal braces! I was so happy that I didn’t have to wear a mouth guard to protect my teeth from the kicks and bumps that all bases and back-spots get from time to time.

You’re currently in treatment with Invisalign Teen. How’s it going?

Lily: Great! I’m almost finished—only eight months total with my aligners. I’ll be getting my  clear retainers, similar to my Invisalign, soon. I feel really lucky, compared to my friends, who always complain about how painful their metal braces are—especially when they get hit in the mouth after doing a stunt—it makes their gums bleed. It’s so much easier to brush and I can eat what I want. I never have to make extra trips to the orthodontist to get a wire fixed or a metal base reattached! Plus, hardly anyone even knows I’m wearing them! I can take them out, brush, floss and eat ANY food I want!

What did your friends and teammates think?

Lily: They were amazed that a clear plastic aligner could actually work and straighten my teeth. Now that I’m almost done with my treatment and they can see the difference from when I started, they’re all asking their parents for Invisalign Teen. At school, everyone judges you. When you smile, it makes you more approachable. When you don’t, people can get the impression you’re angry or unhappy.

What gives you the confidence you need to succeed in cheerleading and life?

Lily: Cheerleading is representing. You’re always representing your team. I feel like a role model for younger girls who want to get into cheerleading. They look up to me, and my teammates, and that gives me a lot of confidence. And now because my teeth look so great, I’m much more comfortable smiling.

*This article was contributed by Align Technology, Inc., the makers of Invisalign Teen.