Cheerleader: Why The Fuss?
The cheerleader who kept on cheering after a terrible fall doesn't know what the fuss is about.
Kristi Yamaoka of Southern Illinois University fell about 15-feet to the floor during a routine Sunday. It was
As she was carried off, the band started playing, so she started cheering.
"As soon as I hard it," she says, "I figured the rest of my squad was probably doing the fight song, and I'm still part of the squad, so I had to do my thing. …"I wanted to make sure they knew I was OK so my squad could continue cheering on the team and my team could concentrate on winning."
Yamaoka is recovering from spine and neck injuries and a concussion.
"I don't know how many times I've hit that stunt perfectly and nobody really cares until you hit the ground," she told reporters.
In light of the accident, the committee that oversees Missouri Valley Conference teams has barred cheerleaders from risky stunts during its women's basketball tournament this week.
The panel will decide in May whether to make the restrictions permanent.
Yamaoka, she says she plans to tryout for the team again this spring, once she makes a full recovery.