A new
Netflix series comes amid an
explosion of interest in the activity in the UK
![Its a hard and challenging sport: inside the world of competitive cheerleading](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/daccc5161929275c6853652cb195a92f192e7bf1/0_214_7788_4673/master/7788.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctZGVmYXVsdC5wbmc&enable=upscale&s=4fcd8a47c57a0d86fdf98072aa8e0e8f)
Lizzie Williams describes watching Netflix’s new cheerleading documentary, Cheer, as surreal. It was the first time the 26-year-old
British cheerleader had seen an accurate portrayal of her sport – its mechanically precise choreography, the gravity-defying tumbling, and the sheer grit required to push past exhaustion.
The six-part documentary, which aired this month, follows cheerleading champions from Navarro College in
Texas as they defended their national title. It has been warmly welcomed by elite cheerleaders and coaches in the
UK for putting their sport centre stage – and pushing past the idea that it’s all big grins and miniskirts.