Lucy, who studies teaching in health and physical education at Victoria University, decided to take up the sport because it seemed similar to gymnastics - a sport she had been involved in since she was four.

"I heard the university had a cheerleader squad called the VU Vipers and thought it would be exciting to get involved," she said.

"Everyone was really supportive in the group and it was much more physically demanding than I'd expected."

The 19-year-old believes cheerleading is just starting to take off in Australia and says more people respect it because of popular television shows and movies such as High School Musical, Bring It On and Glee.

"It really has nothing to do with pom poms and ditzy girls and is more about teamwork and dedication," she says.

"It's an extremely challenging sport because of the risks involved and you really need to develop trust with the rest of the group."

The Vipers train from 7-9am each Wednesday to prepare for competitions, which Lucy says attract a large number of spectators.

"We had our first competition two weeks ago at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatics Centre and we finished in first place," she said.

"It was a great experience even though it was nerve-racking."

Vipers' coach Natalie Commons is surprised with how well Ms Hughes has taken to the sport.

"She takes in all the feedback I give her and does everything I ask her to do," Commons said.

"The sport is becoming so popular now that there are cheerleaders in their thousands across Australia."

Lucy hopes the sport's popularity will continue to rise and that girls and boys will see it s a great way to stay fit and make new friends.

"You have to travel to places like StKilda to get involved in a team, but I'm sure a club will develop in Greenvale in the near future."