When you build a stunt of one or more cheerleaders lifting another cheerleader in the air, it adds excitement and difficulty to your routine. Your entire routine may include many stunts, some easy and some more difficult. However, give special consideration to your ending stunt as it is the finale to your cheerleading routine and makes a lasting impression on your audience. As always, make sure that your ending stunt complies with safety regulations and rules.
Solid Stunts
Judges want to see skills a squad can solidly hit, so make sure to end with a stunt that your squad can hit 10 out of 10 times. By the end of the routine, you will be tired, but you still have to finish with a bang. Do a stunt that can be confidently hit even after an entire routine has been done. Practice your ending stunt when you are tired, at the end of practice or after completing tough conditioning. If you can hit the stunt at the end of a grueling workout, then you will be more likely to hit it at the end of your routine in front of the judges.
Impressive Stunts
While you need to do a stunt your squad can always hit, you have to balance that by choosing something that will leave the judges with a good impression of your performance. If you choose something too safe, you risk being forgettable. One way to make a safer pyramid more impressive is by adding a large dose of excitement when you hit the stunt. Smile big and act like you just did something amazing. Waving, punches and other spontaneous expressions of spirit make a simple ending stunt more memorable.
Full Squad Stunt
Try to include everyone in the ending stunt. This is not the time for holding signs in the front. Including everyone shows that each member of your squad is a vital part. If you cannot avoid having a few out of the ending stunt, have the cheerleaders who are not in the stunt hit a strong motion right in front of the stunt so they seem connected to it. For example, if your ending stunt is a mixture of elevators at shoulder level and extensions above the head, have extra cheerleaders stand right in front of the stunts, centered on the top person and hit the same motion she hits. To make the levels consistent, have the cheerleaders in front of the shorter stunts kneel down for their motion.
Pyramids
Pyramids, two or more stunts connected together, are a great way to end your competition routine. Especially impressive is performing a series of two ending pyramids connected by a transitional stunt. For example, build an inside hitch pyramid. In the middle, build an elevator while two liberties go up on either side of the elevator. On the specified counts, all three stunts lower down into a double-take before hitting the second part of the ending stunt, an extension in the middle and two elevators on the sides. As the pyramid does the double-take portion, the top people in the stunt should not let go of the other top people until they absolutely have to. They should rejoin arms again at the very end of the stunt.
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