I read the following quote in the About.com Cheerleading Guide: “The difference in (sic) a good cheer and a great cheerleader is… a good cheerleader stops at the sight of pain and a great cheerleader pushes through the pain.”   

Hmmm…is this true?  Should it be true?  I doubt it.  Sounds like youthful enthusiasm gone awry.  There is nothing meritorious or even smart about pushing through pain.  If pain exists, it should be investigated.  What is causing the pain?  Is it due to an injury?  If so, pushing forward will only exacerbate that injury. 

There are too many aging athletes out there hobbling around with arthritic knees and bum shoulders because they played through the pain.  In some instances they were given a shot of cortisone and told to go back out and play even though doing so ensured that they would likely injure themselves further. 

 Pain is the body’s way of signaling that something is wrong.  A smart cheerleader will respect that signal and ask for an assessment.