United States Sports Academy
America's Sports University^®

This paper is a discussion of the relationship between leadership behavior and team cohesion among competitive cheerleading squads, particularly in Taiwan. Cheerleading can be traced back more than 100 years in America (Neil & Hart, 1986). In recent years, cheerleading has also become a popular sport in Taiwan. In the past, cheerleading squads were usually associates of sports teams, their general purpose being to motivate athletes for better performance. Today, some cheerleading teams are associated with athletic teams, but others, representing various organizations and institutions, test their cheerleading skills and performance in their own competitions. Effectively managing a cheerleading team for better competitive results is similar to effectively managing other sports teams. It requires such leadership skills as intrinsic motivation, communication, and building team cohesion. Beyond perfecting skills and motivating players, a good coach must be a teacher and a student at the same time. He or she must be aware of individual differences, must be a good listener, must set a good example, and must help with goal setting (Arnold & Jack, 2002).