Tech Student Recovering After Cheer Accident

A Tennessee Tech student recovering after a cheerleading routine went wrong and a pyramid of other students collapsed on her Monday night.

Athletic Director Mark Wilson said emergency services were called after the Monday incident. The student treated due to concerns of a major injury. Wilson said the incident happened during a standard routine that students have practiced thousands of times.

“And it was just something happened during that particular one,” Wilson said. “But we have talked to our coach and already reviewed it with her quickly and we believe that it was just something inadvertent that led to that and nothing that needs to be changed.”

Wilson said the student is alright now and the injury has been determined not to be major. Wilson said the student has been put in a certain protocol based on her injury to get her started on the road to recovery.

“The health and well being of every student athlete is of our utmost importance,” Wilson said. “That’s why we have a certified athletic trainer at every one of our spirit squad practices, especially those practices in which there’s going to be anything that is elevated like a pyramid or a toss.”

Wilson said it is too early to tell when the student will be able to return to cheerleading.

“We know that she will at some point in time,” Wilson said. “Once she makes it through all the protocols that are clearly established based on our policies and with the care of our medical professionals.”

Wilson said that student was only one injured when the pyramid fell.

A social media post from the student’s immediate family said she was life flighted to Vanderbilt following the incident.