If I could summarize a cheer competition in one sentence, I’d say that it’s emotionally charged, controlled chaos with hairspray as the official fragrance. And there’s a lot of walking. And deafening music. And moody little girls with Venti coffees that have more than twice my daily calorie limit and cost more than my first car. Okay, maybe I can’t actually sum up a cheer competition in one sentence.
In the middle of this “controlled” chaos of cheer competitions is a tradition that keeps growing bigger and more creative: Pinning. Yep, those tiny little wooden things that they use to dry Grandpa’s underwear have transformed into an All Star cheer competition staple.
Let’s dive into everything you need to know about cheer pins: what they mean, how to make them, trade them, and creatively display them.
For your convenience, I have included links to the products I use in this post. I get a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. I only recommend products I would use myself!
What ARE Cheer Pins, Anyway?
Think of cheer pins as the social currency of the All Star cheer world.They’re mostly homemade, and intended as a little form of encouragement and good luck to other cheer athletes.
I’m not exactly sure how the tradition started, but whoever pinned the first pin at a cheer competition must have been from Germany or gone to Munic for Oktoberfest, because that’s the only other place I’ve seen any form of decorated clothespin trading.
The idea is to decorate ordinary clothespins with bright colors and encouraging phrases, and secretly clip them to other cheerleaders’ backpacks. When the pin is discovered, the pinner is long gone and the recipient has a good luck charm and a ‘secret ally’ wishing them luck.
I remember the first time I was pinned. Nevermind that I was lugging my cheerleader’s backpack around while she was living her best life, or that I’m short enough to be mistaken for a youth athlete – I was pinned by a Worlds athlete and I felt special.
And giving is even better than receiving, just like they say. Pinning people is so much fun. It gives you a thrill to know that you encouraged someone in a sneaky way and got away with it…although I have been caught more than once! Some of y’all cheerleaders walk too fast! I love pinning, but I look like a weirdo, chasing little girls down a hallway, but I digress.
Now that we know what the pins are for and how to participate in the tradition, let’s look at some ideas for uniquely decorating your pins!
How to Pin People at Cheer Competitions
The key to pinning at a cheer competition is to do it quickly and without getting caught by the person you’re pinning. It’s not as easy as it sounds! Cheer competitions tend to have large groups of people that are constantly moving from one location inside a venue to another, so finding people to pin is the easy part. The tough part is pinning someone fast enough so that you can run away before they sense someone behind them. Here are my best tips for undetected pinning:
- Find a group of athletes sitting and waiting in the lobby.
- Pin people who are standing in line at concessions.
- Go to the area where people are looking at action photos. They’re super still and easy to pin!
- Pin to people’s cheer bags: the top loop and side pockets are easy to pin.
- Find the VIP waiting line (the people waiting to watch the team on deck)
And hey, if you get caught just say, “aw man! I got caught!” and everyone will giggle.
How to Get Pinned at a Cheer Competition
“How do I collect pins at a cheer competition?” you might ask. Well, it’s simple:
- Be a person (preferably with a bow and cheer shoes, although cheer moms are getting in on this game, too!)
- Be at a cheer competition
That’s basically it! Your chances of getting pinned are much higher if you’re wearing a cheer backpack, and they basically quadruple if you clip one of those fancy “PIN ME” ribbons to it.
Ideas for Decorating Cheer Pins
Making cheer pins is messy, creative, and there’s a 50/50 chance you’ll glue your fingers together. But even coming from this girl who is NOT a crafter, I can honestly say that it’s worth it. It’s a simple thing you can do over time, or even as a Team Bonding activity.
What You Need:
- Clothespins: You can choose to paint your own, but Amazon has colored clothespins that will save you a step.
- Spray paint: if you choose to paint your own pins
- Sharpies: I like the ultra fine tip Sharpies
- Spray adhesive
- Glitter
- Hot glue gun or industrial-strength adhesive
- Mini bows, charms, stickers, etc.
Steps:
- Start with your pin base. Think of it as a blank canvas, but smaller and more intimidating.
- Use your spray adhesive to add glitter, confetti and smaller objects. I like to use glitter on one side and write my message on the other side.
- Go nuts with decorations: glitter, rhinestones, mini pom-poms, even a tiny cheer bow if you’re feeling fancy.
- Write or attach your encouraging message, and voìla! You’ve made a pin.
Decorating Ideas That Slay
Pins have come a long way since the olden days of 2015. People are decorating according to the team’s theme, competition theme, and even adding their Instagram handles in order to gain more followers. Here are some ideas for how you can be completely extra and make your pins stand out:
- The Dang Ducks
I truly don’t know how the rubber ducks became the holy grail of cheer competitions, but somehow the year of 2023 became the year of the duck in the cheer world, and it has stuck ever since. Big ducks, little ducks, over-priced stuffed ducks – our bow-topped children can’t get enough of them.
Whether they’re 8 or 18, all cheerleaders seem to absolutely adore being “ducked” and pinned at the same time. Hot glue these mini resin ducks to the top of your pin and you’re golden.
- Match Your Pin Design to the Competition’s Theme
Many cheer competitions have unique themes like Gold Rush, Aloha, and Rockstar. Give the gift of a competition souvenir by decorating your pins to match the theme! - Include an Encouraging Message and Your Cheer Team or Gym’s Name
Here are some ideas for encouraging words or messages to write on your pins:
- You Ate!
- You Are Enough
- Good Luck
- Hit Zero
- You Are Unstoppable
Be sure to include your team name or gym name so people know who it’s from!
Displaying Your Cheer Pins
Pro tip: if you try to keep your new bounty of cheer pins on your backpack or “pin me” ribbon, they will almost certainly break. So what do you do with them? As someone who is lucky enough to receive dozens of pins each cheer season, this is my favorite way to display my pins:
All you need is a wire wreath frame and you’re good to go!
Wreath frames come in all kinds of shapes, but my favorite is this heart-shaped frame from Amazon. You can also get them at any craft store. Hang them on a hook or nail at home, and you have an instant, colorful decoration!
Pinning isn’t just a tradition—it’s a whole vibe at cheer competitions now, especially among the younger teams. It’s the perfect blend of creativity, sportsmanship, and a touch of luck. So grab your glue gun, unleash your inner DIY queen, and get to work. And don’t forget to show off your collection, because if you didn’t post it on Facebook, did it even happen?
Happy Pinning!
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