Being a cheerleader is really hard work. You have to be committed, you have to be totally devoted and you have to be a team player. These are all things that the people looking for cheerleaders want to know you already possess. So if you can show that you can commit to school, have the ability to raise a family or keep a job, it means you're at least in the right direction as far as they're concerned.
There's lots more to it than being pretty.