Cheerleading uniforms usually consist of cheerleading shoes, ankle socks, a pleated box skirt, a-line skirt or cheerleading pants, and a shirt that features the school's name or team mascot. Of course, most cheerleaders will want their cheerleading shoes to be stylish and nice looking, but more important than the actual style of the footwear is the fit of the sneaker. You'll want to try on several pairs of cheerleading shoes before making your purchase, since sizes of shoes run differently depending on the brand of shoe, or the type of sneaker. Wear socks that are the same thickness as the socks you'll wear to cheer in, and judge your shoes on how tightly they fit your feet. You want them to fit snugly so that when the cheerleading shoes have been broken in after wearing them they will still fit tight enough to be comfortable, but not so much as to leave bruises, sore spots or blisters on your feet. It's also important that the footwear you choose to cheerlead in is lightweight. Because cheerleaders spend so much time on their feet and performing acrobatic style movements similar to those of a gymnast, it's very important that the footwear chosen is going to provide proper support for the cheerleaders' ankles, enough cushioning for landings, as well as feel comfortable when worn for long periods of time. After all, it would be really hard to keep that smile on your face and be "cheery" if your feet are hurting inside your cheerleading shoes!
There are many brand name footwear companies who are offering athletic footwear designed specifically for cheerleaders. Cheerleading shoes come in low-top, mid-ankle, and high top styles, but most importantly is to select a shoe that fits you correctly to ensure you don't end up with blisters from a shoe that rubs your ankles or toes from an improper fit. You can find youth shoes and trainers designed for cheerleaders in Nike, Adidas, Asics and Reebok among other brand name footwear providers.
When it comes to selecting footwear or trainers designed for the feet of cheerleaders, keep in mind that a higher priced shoe will typically provide you a higher quality product. While you may be able to find a pair of cheerleader's shoes priced about $20, your best bet would be to increase your shoe budget to the $50 to $70 price range to make sure you are getting a durable, comfortable cheerleading shoe. Your feet will definitely thank you for spending the extra few dollars after hours of practice and cheering, tumbling, and jumping!
A fun feature of footwear designed to be worn as cheerleaders shoes is that they often come in a basic white color, with little tabs that can be inserted in the sides of the shoes in the colors of your team! This is an added bonus and can really complete your overall cheerleader uniform- since you'll be dressed head to toe in your teams colors and you will definitely be able to show your team spirit.
