Despite the fact that most cheerleaders are portrayed in a negative light, know that a cheerleader does more than focus on how she looks. Most of these women aren’t defined by their tans or endless plastic surgery. Instead, they eat healthy, work hard and drive themselves to success.

These are the women who motivate the fans of a team to continue to cheer, even when the odds are stacked against them. They take the time to keep the energy up and ensure the team knows there are people who are on their side, win or lose.

For entertainment value, these women do high-powered gymnastics that require coordination and drive. Each move is calculated and a false move could result in injury and death. All this is done based on a routine that the team spends months perfecting.

As you can see, cheerleaders really put a lot of hard work and effort into their routines. This is to build a sense of community for the team while pushing themselves to the limits. So the next time you watch them performing on the sidelines and think they are a bunch of silly girls jumping around, it might be in your best interest to think again and show them a little respect.