Pom-poms are the primary accessory of all cheerleaders. However, cheerleaders in the NFL have more than one set of pom-poms that match their different outfits for the games. While that might get confusing, the teams don’t react kindly if the cheerleaders get their pom-poms mixed up.
If cheerleaders bring the wrong pom-poms to the game, they face a fine. For cheerleaders, a simple mistake could end up being a costly one.
They Must Stay Within Three Pound of Their Ideal Weight
While some teams practice regular weigh-ins, others take their commitment to thinness one step further by instituting a three-pound rule. During each weigh-in, cheerleaders have to be within three pounds of their “ideal weight.”
A cheerleader’s ideal weight isn’t based on health and wellness data. Instead, it’s usually considered to be the weight the woman was at when she first auditioned. If she fails to meet that weight, she could be pulled from the next game or even benched for the entire season.
Their Bodies Can’t Jiggle
A cheerleader’s physical appearance and body is the main focus of many of the rules in the NFL. Some teams even go so far as to perform a “jiggle test” to ensure that the girls look impossibly good while they’re dancing.
During the jiggle test, the women have to do jumping jacks while their boss watches. If their bodies jiggle too much, they’re reprimanded and sometimes banned from performing at the games. The test was referred to as a “physique evaluation,” but the women knew it was just a chance to take girls who weren’t thin enough off the field.
They Must Polish Their Boots Before Games
Cheerleaders can incur quite a few nasty fines on game day. Beyond bringing the right pom-poms, the women on the Oakland Raiderettes are also required to polish their boots before every game.
If the cheer director determines that the boots haven’t been polished enough, the woman at fault will have to pay yet another fine. She may also be banned from cheering on that particular day.
They’re Fined If They Forget Any Element of Their Outfit
Cheerleaders aren’t allowed to forget their pom-poms or any other element of their outfit. If a cheerleader forgets one essential item, she faces a fine.
This rule is somewhat sensible, but it’s also costly. The cheerleaders have so many items to remember that they’re bound to forget something every now and then. Considering their pay is so abysmally low, hefty fines on top of all their other expenses make it a financial burden to be a cheerleader.