Lea Dutton

The show itself was great, but I found it very concerning how many athletes were working through serious injuries. Some of the female cheerleaders mentioned having several concussions over the years, which could easily lead to Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). CTE is a progressive, untreatable degenerative brain disease found in people with a history of repetitive brain trauma. Football players wear specially designed helmets to attempt to protect their brains from blows. Female cheerleaders - with no helmet or body padding (so that they they look attractive) - are frequently dropped on barely padded, hard surfaces while doing very challenging and dangerous, high flying stunts. Annual competitions are won based on both appearance and by performing increasingly challenging stunts each year. Cheerleading is a multi-billion dollar industry that clearly puts profit over athlete safety. It's barbaric.