The herkie (aka hurkie) is a
cheerleading
Cheerleading is an activity in which the participants (called cheerleaders) cheer for their team as a form of encouragement. It can range from chanting slogans to intense physical activity. It can be performed to motivate sports teams, to ente ...
jump named after
Lawrence Herkimer, the founder of the
National Cheerleaders Association
The US National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) was established as a way to bring cheerleaders together to learn new skills. Since 1951, the NCA has held summer camps, and is credited with the invention of the herkie jump, the pom pom, the spirit st ...
and former cheerleader at
Southern Methodist University
, mottoeng = "The truth will make you free"
, established =
, type = Private research university
, accreditation = SACS
, academic_affiliations =
, religious_affiliation = United Methodist Church
, president = R. Gerald Turner
, prov ...
. It is similar to a
side-hurdler and to the abstract
double hook, except instead of the bent leg's knee being pointed downward, it should be flat while the other leg is straight in a straddle jump (toetouch) position.
The jump was invented accidentally, because Herkimer was not able to do an actual side-hurdler.
Common misspellings include "hurky" and "herky".
Jump position
In a left herkie, the jumper has the left leg straight in a half-straddle position, and the right leg bent flat beneath them. In a right herkie, it is the opposite. When used as a "signature" at the end of an organized cheer, the jumper typically bends their weaker [leg.
Arm positions
Herkie arm positions depend on how the legs are positioned. A left Herkie has the left arm in a straight up High V motion and the right arm on the right hip. If doing a right Herkie the arm positions are flipped.
References
{{reflist
External links
About.com
Cheerleading