{"product_id":"cheer-inside-the-secret-world-of-college-cheerleaders-9781416535973","title":"Cheer!: Inside the Secret World of College Cheerleaders","description":"\u003cb\u003eCHEER! is the Inspiration for the CW's Hot New Series, HELLCATS, Starring Alyson Michalka and Ashley Tisdale. \u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThink cheerleading is just pom-poms, \"gimme an 'R, '\" and pleated skirts? Not anymore. Take an exhilarating trip through the rough-and-tumble world of competitive college cheerleading.... \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eCollege cheerleaders are extreme athletes who fly thirty feet in the air, build pyramids in which a single slip can send ten people crashing to the ground, and compete in National Championships that are won by hundredths of a point. \u003ci\u003eCheer!\u003c\/i\u003e is a year-long odyssey into their universe, following three squads from tryouts to Nationals. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eMeet the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjack cheerleaders from Nacogdoches, Texas, whoseem destined to win their fifth National Championship in a row -- until they are shaken by the departure of their longtime coach. Fall in love with the Southern University Jaguars from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, an African-American team hoping to raise the $17,000 needed to travel to Nationals and transform their near win several years ago into a Cinderella victory. Root for the University of Memphis All-Girl cheerleaders from Tennessee -- a team that continually struggles for the same respect Coed teams get -- when their quest for a national title is threatened by injuries and dropouts. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAlong the way, meet unforgettable characters like Sierra, a cheerleading prodigy who has never lost a competition; Doug, who is in his eighth year as a college cheerleader; and Casi, one of the few female bases who can lift anothercheerleader on her own. These are people who risk horrifying injuries on a daily basis, battle demons like eating disorders and steroid use, and form intense bonds. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn the immersive tradition of \u003ci\u003eFriday Night Lights\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eCheer!\u003c\/i\u003e is a captivating, all-access journey into a deeply absorbing world.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eTorgovnick, Kate:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cb\u003eKate Torgovnick\u003c\/b\u003e is a former associate writer\/editor at \u003ci\u003eJane\u003c\/i\u003e magazine. She writes about extreme athletes for \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e and her articles have also appeared in \u003ci\u003eNewsweek\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe International Herald Tribune\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eThe Daily News\u003c\/i\u003e (New York). She grew up in Durham, North Carolina, and now lives in New York City.","brand":"Gallery Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50334642569490,"sku":"9781416535973","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_e8a73367-ca78-41f8-8254-eab061db2e0b.jpg?v=1727892500","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/cheer-inside-the-secret-world-of-college-cheerleaders-9781416535973","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}