Persuasive Essay On Cheerleading

Cheerleading started as a male endeavor in 1898, when a University of Minnesota football fan led the crowd in verse in support of their team. It was not until World War II, when men shipped out to war, that women took over. Then cheerleaders came to represent the American ideal of femininity: wholesome apple pie with washboard stomachs, perfect teeth, and flawless complexions. Stereotypes cast them as blond, petite, and impossibly perky. “From its humble beginning cheerleading has blossomed into a competitive athletic activity with a serious image problem” (Forman 52). But today’s post-feminist youth have put a new, diverse face on cheerleading. Cheerleading in America is no longer a matter of waving pom-poms, a cute smile and being overly

The media has created a stereotype for cheerleaders. The way that cheerleaders have been portrayed in the media has made cheerleading one of the most disrespected and underrated sports in the industry. The media has made cheerleaders out to be the unintelligent, mean girls, that no one likes. It has portrayed cheerleading itself to not even look the slightest bit like a sport. Most movies make it look like cheerleading is just jumping around and yelling at other sporting events. A good description of this stereotype is explained in an article from TVTropes as “From evil to slutty to dumb, any cheerleader in North American media can be expected to be portrayed as shallow and superficial, because popularity is her first and only concern.”. As a cheerleader, this is extremely frustrating. The growing cheerleading industry has been working hard to show the world what cheerleading really is about. Bring It On: In It to Win It is an interesting movie that actually portrays some of the real aspects of cheerleading.

As a kid I never really found the right sport for me. I tried out different kid of sports , but nothing had been the right fit until I found the world of competitive cheer. I had been very hesitant to join because I thought it was something silly, I had been wrong. Cheerleading will always be one of the best opportunity that I have made.

The audience in this is the people who do not think that cheer is a sport. A specific gender would be mostly boys. I often find myself into specific arguments all the time whether or not cheer is a sport. A specific age group is normally between the age of 10-20. The average reader is anyone who does not think that cheer is a sport, or that it is fairly easy. For example, in this common situation here at snow the football players always complain how hard their practice is. They expect us to sit down and feel sorry for them. If we say anything about how hard ours is, they get all offended and argue that cheer is not a sport.

You have been training all summer. You have been in the weight room almost every day and wake up so sore you can barely walk. You give encouraging words to your teammates and pump them up right before a game. You are tough and fearless when you take the field. You strive to do your best and want to win. How would you feel if every time you took that field your peers didn’t believe in you and did not respect your sport? Cheerleaders go to the gym and work just as hard as other athletes do, and are not receiving any credit. This makes us frustrated and let down. There are many aspects of cheer that people are unaware of. Being a cheerleader, you have to be able to tumble, stunt, be competitive, have teamwork, and most of all dedication. Cheerleading is a sport because it is physically demanding, requires teamwork, and is very competitive.

Training for cheer is not just a one time or a once a week thing it is a constant practice to maintain those abilities (Selke). Abilities that are needed for cheerleading are stunting, tumbling, and dancing so cheerleaders need to weight lift and work out multiple times a week. They work just as hard as any other athletes. Cheerleaders must be able to work together to create pyramids, basket tosses, and stunts in a routine. All of these require timing, teamwork, balance, strength, and stamina which are all clear athlete standards needed to perform in sports(Selke). Most people do not see inside the practices and competitions they just see the cheerleaders on the sideline at a game who entertain the crowd (Bonesteel). Initially they think that it is not a sport because of how easy that looks. Sideline cheering is

Is Cheerleading a Sport? Has the question, is cheerleading a sport, ever come up in a conversation with friends, teammates, or even classmates? If so did it become an endless argument with no actual right answer? Well let me tell you why. This question has been discussed and argued so many times throughout years.

If one were to walk into a national cheerleading competition they would immediately be overwhelmed by the smell of hairspray, and the sight of: glitter everywhere, bright lipstick, girls chanting amongst their teams, and huge hair bows. When it comes time to perform, all of the cheerleaders hit the mat with huge smiles and crazy facial expressions to make the crowd excited. Cheerleaders, exhibiting confidence and grace, are allover the United States, and they dedicate their lives to the sport. Sometimes though, competition cheerleaders are not seen as extreme athletes, but stereotyped as “sideline cheerleaders”. To summarize the Webster definition of a sport, it is an activity involving physical effort and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment purposes. Although the NCAA, does not recognize cheerleading as a sport; the aspects of competition cheerleading’s “All-Star Cheerleader” truly

The definition of a sport is “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.” (dictionary.com) Competition cheerleading is often looked upon as a “club” or an “activity”, but most people don’t realize that it is way more than that. There is common controversy as to whether or not cheerleading should be classified as a sport. Cheerleading does not get enough recognition for what the athletes who participate in it do and the physical aspects needed to take part in it. Competitive cheerleading encompasses all characteristics in the definition of a sport, therefore it should be given just as much respect and acknowledgment as other

Competitive Cheerleading Is A Sport Thrusting an 100 pound girl up in the air and catching her isn’t easy. When you hold up a stunt for counts as your flyer pulls a stretch, or when you run for your tumbling pass, you put all your energy and force to do your best. Cheerleading is a difficult sport that some people don’t understand. Cheer can be a very helpful sport in life. Cheerleading at a gym or even at your school can help you gain education.

We can all agree that there has been a lot of controversy over cheerleading being a sport. I believe that varsity (school cheer) is more of a hobby, however all star (competitive cheerleading) is a lot more intense and is definitely a sport. We condition, bend our bodies in ways most people can’t, and have too be strong enough to hold at least 100 pounds above our head. I have been competitive cheering for a very long time and I will use my experience and recent studies to show how competitive cheerleading is definitely a sport and one of the hardest.

Every cheerleader gets fired up when someone tries to argue with them that cheerleading is not a sport. Whether it’s a football player, a teacher, or a even friend who doesn’t understand why you’re not involved in something else. Cheerleaders just want people to know that being a cheerleader does make you an athlete! Cheerleading is a sport due to the athleticism and flexibility needs to be apart of this well known activity. Many may say it does not take a lot of effort to smile and wave your hands in the air while yelling ,"Go team!" But what really stresses cheerleaders out is that people don't see all the bruises, hard work and dedication they put in behind that beautiful smile they put on for their team. Not only do cheerleaders get tossed in the air and lift other cheerleaders, they also compete and do it all with a smile. Cheerleading might seem easy to some, but once people see what goes on at practice, their opinions usually change.

Whether people think that it is or not, that does not get in the way of these athletes of doing what they love. The Meriam-Webster Dictionary definition of an athlete says, “A person who is trained in or good at sports, games, or exercises that require physical skill and strength.” (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/athlete) Is that not what a cheerleader is? Asia Webb writes an article about her feeling on this debate. She says, “So what if we don’t play in the dirt with pads or slide across home plate after hitting a home run? We throw girls in the air and practice every day. You have to be physically and emotionally strong to be a cheerleader. The strength in us comes from not only our exercise but also our commitment to cheer.” (Asia Webb) This quotes shows that cheerleading is so much more than people think it

In every sports game, people root for the teams they like; their ways of rooting can range from yelling to professional one called cheerleading. Cheerleading has a long history just as other sports. Cheerleading does not exist to simply motivate the team, but also makes audience and the game itself interesting. That is the reason why it should be considered as one of the sports. Although many do not see cheerleading as a sport, it is definitely considered as sport, as it requires intense physical activity, entertains people, and unites players.

Many People think that the collegiate sports are just a form of entertainment for them and the players but the players think of these sports as a job. The NCAA is the National Collegiate Athletic Association and it is the center of making all of the rules for collegiate sports. They decide on if student athletes are employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act or not. Student athletes do not get enough recognition and seen as students or entertainment but not as employees. Although some people do not believe student athletes deserve the recognition of being employees, others know they should because these students fall under the title employee from the requirements placed by the Fair Labor Standards Act.