"I basically became a cheerleader because I had a very strict mom. That was my way of being a bad girl"

Sandra Bullock's quote suggests that she signed up with the cheerleading squad as a method to rebel versus her strict mother. It appears that she was looking for a method to reveal her independence and assert her own identity. By becoming a cheerleader, she was able to do something that her mom would not authorize of, while still remaining within the boundaries of appropriate habits. It is likely that she found the experience of being a cheerleader to be liberating and empowering, as it permitted her to express her own personality and make her own decisions. Eventually, it appears that Sandra Bullock found cheerleading to be a way to rebel against her mom's stringent guidelines while still remaining within the bounds of appropriate habits.