Part of me thinks that this picture is all we need to conclude this debate, but I'll use my better judgment and press on.These days, cheerleading is a year-round activity. Cheerleaders show up at just about every sport there is, except for golf and tennis. Not enough other fans at those sports to lead in cheers, I suppose.
Why Cheerleading might be considered a sport
Some people seem to think that cheerleading is a sport just because it's closely associated with other activities that actually are sports. If you're going to convince me, you'll need a better argument than that.
One reason cheerleading might be a sport is that it does require physical fitness to be a good cheerleader. Sure, there are plenty that throw on the glittery makeup, tie their hair up in a ponytail with a cute ribbon, and call it good. But there are others -- you know, the ones that go to cheerleading camps and stuff -- that demonstrate incredible strength and flexibility.
These days, there is also the competition factor to consider. Apparently, there are all sorts of national competitions taking place these days. What do you suppose the trophies would look like?
Why Cheerleading might not be considered a sport
While cheerleading does technically pass the criteria that physical fitness is required for excellence, it's a bit of a stretch because excellence at cheerleading has been vastly redefined in the past decade.
Believe it or not, the primary aim of cheerleading used to be leading the fans in cheers. But then someone figured out that fans can generally figure out how to cheer on their own, and they changed the rules to make it about style and form.
I also have a hard time buying into the competitiveness of cheerleading. Maybe it's Chris's and David's comments in the original debate about what a sport is, but I think it goes beyond the fact that the determination of a winner is subjective. I suspect, instead, that a cheerleading competition would bear a striking resemblance to a marching band contest.
Final Ruling: Is not a sport.
Certainty: Give me a One! Give me a Zero! Give me another Zero!
38 comments:
Considering Cheerleading a sport would set back women's athletics by like 100 years.
Both Kevin and Ty are being inconsistent here. If ice skating is a sport, and I assume gymnastics is, too (in fact, Ty already said it was), then how is cheerleading not? Cheerleading is basically a team gymnastics floor routine.
Old school cheerleading may have been to actually lead cheers, but today it is a serious competition. And it may resemble a marching band contest, but it is athletic.
Shouldn't this be a sport?
it is a sport do you know how much we work our butts off we are there at practice for 4 or 3 hours
it is a sport do you know how much we work our butts off we work for 4 or 3 hours or all day
i remember a certain newspaper article that might compliment this blog...
Chherleading is definitely a sport, PPl who dont think its a sport dont know anything about it. I wake up at 6 a.m. eveyrday in the summer and workout for cheerealding. Motions till ur arms fall off. stretch until you're sore, work on chants and cheers until you're ready to pass ut. then you have to perforn with a smile on your face no matter what. you deal with the drama and the coaches who if u miss a motion send u home for the day./ i dont get home till about 6-8 at night. i do this everyday in teh summer and it gets worse when school starts. its all ngiht till 9 and then we ahve games and homework. and cheerleaders are NOT stupid little sluits either, they are athletes ive done softball,volleyball,track,cross country, and tennis and i work the most in cheerelading. So try it b4 you say its not a sport that's all i ask
To those who have complained about my verdict, please understand that I'm not saying cheerleading isn't hard, or doesn't require a high degree of athleticism. What I am saying is that the very nature of the activity isn't competitive, so in my opinion, just because they've invented competitions for it doesn't make it a sport.
I agree wholeheartedly with Kevin. Just because it is difficult and takes athleticism does not a sport make. I don't think that anyone would consider ballet a sport.
Honestly, I am a cheerleader and before i was just like oh yea it isnt a sport. but now that i see what you actually do it is a sport. we lift & throw people. we yell our guts out. my squad has to run 10 laps do push ups and situps and all that kind of stuff. we work just as hard as everyone else. we have to stay eligible according to the school rules. we jump tumble do gymnastics. so yes cheerleading is a sport. and yes it is competitive. in my town if you are the best cheerleading squad you have the best school. and it isnt just give me a 8 or something like that. we get the student body pumped and we do so much more than any of you will ever understand until you are a cheerleader. and yes i used to be in other sports to i used to play basketball was a starter. then i relized cheerleading meant so much more to me.
Competitive cheerleading by allstar squads and school squads is a sport.
Rooting on your team on the side line is an activity.
Competitive cheer teams have a set season, they practice, they compete - it is a sport.
There are two types of cheerleaders.
you guys are so oblivious. it is so a sport you have no idea what kind of work is put into cheerleading. and we do fit all the guidelines of sports because were not only on the sidelines. (it rhymed :D yay!!)so if you arre interrested in this argument contact me at silent.kitty912@gmail.com!! because it really is a sport, and if you dont think so your W R O N G.........WRONG!!!!
and tyduffy (of w/e ur name is ballet technecly is a sport check the archives!!
Anyone who says cheerleading is not a sport or that cheerleaders are not athletes doesn't know what he or she is talking about.
I coached softball for many years and some of my girls cheered in the off season. Believe you me, they were excellent athletes, were well conditioned, and cheered their teams unto victory.
I also coached baseball for many years. When my players lifted weights in the off season, weren't they athletes? Is weight lifting not a sport? Off course it is.
Engaging in sports improves our nation's youth. Therefore, let us respect ALL athletes and honor them for their great work..
No, cheerleading is NOT a sport. It is an activity.
Can their performance be measured (like the long jump): NO!
Can their preformance be scored (like a football game): NO
Can their preformance be timed (like a race): NO
Their comnpetitions are invented. HECK every school around my area where I live is a National Champion. Give me a break!!!!!
all i have to is that yes cheerleading is a sport the reason for that is because just lky many other sport yes we do get hurt, and yes we get scored, also our performance does get a time and measured on what we can do. many of you other that dont think its a sport. you should try it out for a day out to. cheerleaders can break a bone lky any other sport. cheerleader have to be strong lky other sports they have to throw the flyer in the air so they can do wht they have to do in the air. we run we jump we do many other thing so for all of you that dont think its a sport try it and them come talk to use cheerleaders.
also cheer is all season long unlike any other sport you get a break from it and get to rest us cheerleaders have all year long to do the work we need to do. you others try to do a sport all yeah long non stop and still keep your grades up so you can cheer.
Texas Truth this is to you:
Yes, cheerleading is a sport. You ask:
1. Can their performance be measured (like the long jump): YES, actually during competitive cheerleading, voice projection, tumbling, how high the teams jumps are, execution of EVERY major/minor motion, etc. is heavily evaluated by a group of certified judges.
2. Can their performace be scored (like a football game): YES, cheerleading competitions are very similar to gymnastics meets in a way. Most of the time, you start with a perfect score and throughout your performance, judges may deduct on a number of things.
3. Can their performance be timed (like a race): YES. You sweat your butt off at practices lasting anywhere between 2-4 hrs a day, not including during the summer and days before competitions, all to do a routine involving constant tumbling and stunting for roughly 2.5 minutes. Don't go over or under the TIME LIMIT or you will be deducted.
So, before you wish to evaluate what you think you know about cheerleading, get your facts together first. Also, every school around your area may be Nation Champions because there are different divisions in competitive cheerleading based on the size of the team and if it's co-ed or not.
So...my friend...Yes, cheerleading is a sport!
Listen I don't think you ladies understand what Kev is saying.
YES cheerleadinhg is incredibly demanding athletically, as well asd being dangerous and requiring a great deal of flexibility, balance, and conditioning. However. I cannot call anything a sport, especially not a team sport, that does not require EVERY MEMBER of the team to be very, very athletic, and I'm sorry, I went to three different high schools and have coached women's basketball at three more, and I can assure you that on EVERY CHEERLEADING TEAM IN THE WORLD there is a girl who is NOT, I repeat, NOT, athletic enough to play four quarters of basketball. They're either fat and out of shape, or thin and good-looking but devoid of muscle, or something. I can't call anything a sport that doesn't cut someone like that just on principle.
Also, the fact is that cheerleading "competitions" were created in the last twenty years or so IN ORDER to make cheerleaders feel like sportsmen (women?) So i would say this: cheerleading is hard. A cheerleader is an athlete, NO QUESTION. But NOT a sportsman. There's a difference. I mean, shit, heavy-work constructions workers are athletes too, but building buildings isn't a sport, even if "those who have the best "building"(cheer squad) have the best company (school.) I couldn't agree more that calling cheerleading a sport would set back women's athletics immensely. IT IS NOT IN YOUR BEST INTEREST TO CALL IT THAT LADIES.
Cheerleading is only a sport to a certain extent. Some cheerleading teams do not fit in with "sport" criteria. If that is so they're a old fashioned sideline cheerleader. The competitive cheerleaders are the ones who do the lifting that some football players can do, tumble just as good or almost as good as a gymnist. If you think that cheerleading is all about glitz and glam its not. Most girls or guys get bruises that no one would dream of getting in a fight. I've had numerous hospital trips from the "sport". So if you think cheerleading is not a sport what is?
HaHa...all those people who say that cheerleading is NOT a sport you guys are probabaly the ones in the stands or in school who couldn't make it on the cheer team. Cheerleading IS a damn sport becasue cheerleading involves, running, cardio,dancing, weight lifting, multitasking, stunts, and heart! If fishing is a damn sport CHEERLEADING is A BETTER ONE! If cheerleading GOT any easier it'll be CONSIDER FOOTBALL!
Of course, through stereotypes, there is no doubt that many of the people that posted saying "cheerleading is a sport" are already cheerleaders, or women at the least. I wrote and delivered a persuasive speech against cheerleading being a sport, and by technical definition, it is not. It is a "competition." A sport involves some version of non-subjective scoring, like a point-system. The last time I remember, cheer competitions are rated by a grade-system on performance (just because it uses numbers doesn't mean it can't be a grade-system for the blondes out there). Also, the term cheerleading first originated in 1880 and was first performed by a group of college MEN. Their sole purpose was to rally a crowd, and later was used by other colleges to psyche opponents, start fundraisers, etc. Modern cheerleading has become so overplayed since then; the necessity to include gymnastics and dance is beyond me - the starters of cheerleading definitely didn't need these. The only thing that differentiates cheerleading from gymnastics and dance (each of which is also not a sport) is the factor of "cheering," which is neither qualitative nor quantitative. There is nothing that accents cheerleading to be a sport in its own right, and most likely there will be no argument out there to convince me that it should be...unless there is as complete of an analysis as mine =P
ok im srry but competition cheerleading is definatly a sport!! Preparing for a competition, you spend 10-12 hrs in the gym a week It takes effort, focus,balance, strength, endurence, teamwork and athletisim cheerleaders must be as strong as football players, poised as dancers and as flexible as a gymnast
Powerhouse first of all f u. one, i am a blonde 2 i am a cheerleader and 3 i AM in a sport! we do get judged and the definition of a sport fits the guidelines of cheerleading. Obviously youare just a stupid guy who is so obsessed with his "sports" that the idea of adding another sport to the mix just blows his tiny mind. Aso i cant believe you could even say that gymnastics isnt a sport so please contact me when you can do a full twisting layout and i might consider your silly argument..oh and ;p
I can't BELIEVE you people who think cheerleading is not a sport!!!! You must be freaking IDIOTS!!!! A girl on my cheerleading team got a CONCUSSION last week from a flyer falling on her!!!! A girl on the varsity team fractured her hand in four places when she tried to save herself from falling on her hed durring a round-off tuck!!!! I am not lying to you when I say this, but I can truefully say that I have the biggest muscels ou tof the whole cheerleading and football team from lifting people for 4 years!!!! I cheered on an allstar cheerleading team and saw some of the most athletic girls in the world at the competitions!!!! If cheerleading is not a sport then why is baseball or football? There are some people on those teams that are not the best athletes on the team but that doesn't make anyone not call their activity a SPORT!!!!!!!! Gymnastics is a sport and so is dancing AND SO IS CHEERLEADING!!!!!!!!!!! So all of you who have not done the sport yourself need to SHUT THE CRAP UP!!!!!!!!
um, if cheerleading isn't a sport then why do i have a better vertical then all of the girl basketball players... plus a major six pack... and im 15!
http://sports.espn.go.com/highschool/rise/news/story?id=3864291
This article is from ESPN....
I couldn't help myself but to add some comments on this activity as well. I used to dance Ukrainian folk dancing, which has stunts very similar to acrobatics and gymnastics. We did have dance competitions, which were judged subjectively. I had to be SUPER fit to perform some of the crazy stunts (like break dancing).
To conclude: I was a dancer, not a sportsman.
By analogy, just because you workout extra hard (a solo activity) to excel at cheerleading, still makes you only a cheerleader (who is very very fit), not a sportsperson.
PS to the ESPN article, the legal ruling was obviously done to cover someone's ass in case of injury. Further, there was a loophole in the definition of "contact sport", which a normal person would interpret BETWEEN competitors, NOT WITHIN the same team!!! As a dancer I never had insurance, but doing a backflip with no hands, I could definitely snap my neck. If Ukie dancing were considered to be a sport (and therefore breakdancing and other forms of competitive dancing), then we would be insurable. I guess I could sue my dance partner for tripping me and claim that Ukie dancing is a sport because it involves "contact". LOL. Read some of the comments from cheerleaders in the ESPN post.
Still not a sport.
Cheers
hiyee:)
im a cheerleader from Gahanna,Ohio and im really tired of everyone thinking cheerleading isnt a sport. we work out just as much if not harder then any other sport. We have to be in pain, cheer, and tumble but still have a smile on our face. And we have to deal with the bull shit of almost every body. Stop judging us. Come to a week of practice and 5 games a week and see what we actually do besides look good. Oh and alot of cheerleaders are very smart AKA. have better grades then you do.
Its a sport, get over it.
Thankss:0
So the deal is, cheerleading isss a sport. Like it or not, cheerleaders are just as much athletes as basketball or football players. We throw people in the air, tumble, and dance. We may not run around like little kids with a ball in our hands, but we are still partaking in a sport. Until you have cheered, do not pass judgement, and after you have cheered, you won't be thinking its not a sport. So before you start talking badly about it, know your facts.
I say that cheerleading is a sport. The definition of sport is, an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature. In the definition its self it talks about be athletic along with competitive. Which a cheerleader has to be in shape to cheer and competitions is what cheering is all about. Therefore I consider cheerleading to be a sport.
If you don't think cheerleading is a sport then watch this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jys98ZTj1k8
Allstar/ competitive cheerleading is a sport. These kids are athletes. Just watch an allstar cheer competition like Jamfest Nationals, Cheersport Atlanta or Worlds.
What a controversial topic! Sometimes it seems as if some of the young girls only join cheerleading because of their friends being on the team. This is nothing new to anyone though! In my humble opinion, whether a "sport" or not - this activity is a huge confidence, moral, and character builder!
Hi, well be sensible, well-all described
actually. im rather disgusted that you people against cheerleading being a sport are assuming the people who think it is (which it most definitly is a REAL SPORT)
a sport are calling anon people GIRLS. guy do cheerleading too, and they are more mussley than any guy on the football team or whatever. who ever said that on every cheer team, there would be either a stupid girl with blonde haid who doesnt eat. or fat girls or boys, who arnt fit and couldnt play a real sport. well, how about football. THERE ARE LOADS OF CUBBY GUYS, but does that mean that theyre crap at their sport? i didnt think so. there are some cubby cheerleaders but that just shows the reality, that we EAT, we train hard, and theyre loosing weight from joinging cheerleading and cheerleading is like BOOT CAMP, so no body has the right to say it isnt a sport when its NATIONALLY RATED number one on "the most dangerous SPORTS" so there. ;P
IN 1870 Thomas Peebler started the first pep club with six men at Princeton University. Johnny Campbell, from University of Minnesota was the founder of cheerleading as it is today. Cheerleading started as a mans sport. In the 1940's when men went to war. My point is Cheerleading has changed alot since it first began. You can't just say cheerleading isn't a sport just by looking at the girls on a sideline of a football game or basketball game. Go on YouTube, watch JamFest Super nationals 2011, Top Gun All Stars. Watch Shumate 7th-8th - Round 3.MOV the things those girls do is sick! Its like football you cant just say all football teams are great just because one is. I spent three years on the sideline. There are teams that are crap. If you wanna find a good team look for it. those girls(and boys) in the videos didn't learn those things just standing around. in order to do those things you've got to take years of gymnastics and weightlifting everyday. Our flier is like a toy, we drop her, we break her, we can't play no more. We can't just replace someone like other sports can.
http://www.mhsaa.com/MHSAA_ARCHIVE/sports/chr/scoresheets.pdf
Hows that for a scoring system???
http://www.mhsaa.com/MHSAA_ARCHIVE/sports/chr/penaltysheets.pdf
theres the penalty sheet
Alright, this is what i think. And i am a cheerleader. i agree with both sides, but to a certain extent. i beleive that sideline cheerleading may not be a sport, more of an activity. but competitive cheerleading is much more of a sport. in an earlier post someone had said that a cheerleader could not last 4 quarters of basketball, i disagree. we have 3 rounds of cheering, stunting while yelling from your diafram is pretty hard, ecspecially if you arent in shape. you have to be in shape and athletic to compete at a competition. if this is not a sport then nothing that competes against another team should be considered a sport. it pisses me off people that have never tried cheerleading say that its not a sport, when it most definatley is. At my school our cheer team had a basketball player tryout for competitve cheer, she didnt make it. as she was very athletic and had crazy gymnastics skills, she was lacking motions. every sport has different requirements. do not say anything about it, until you try it. thats all.
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