Why Cheerleading Should Be Considered A Sport

They also specify the rules and guidelines for all of competitive cheerleading. Teams are created by the age and the level of every individual athlete at whichever cheerleading gym they may choose. This being said, “All Star Cheer is the name referred to cheer groups created just for competition and not associated with any school or team.” (Cheer Debate: Is Cheerleading a Sport?) The sole purpose of competitive cheerleading is to put together a two minute and thirty second routine to compete against other teams in your same division around the state, country, and even world. This is just minute portion of what cheerleading is but are some of most important parts of what it is.

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

A sport is an organized association that provides regulated activities to individuals. In most cases these individuals are composed into teams with an identity, mission statement, and goal. Competitive cheerleading is association, and just like the definition of a sport, competitive cheerleading is organized and acknowledge under specific associations, (ISHAA,NCCA,etc.). Those associations regulates the activities of each participant. Every participant is classified by their team name and mascot. With pride each participant and team identify themselves and motivate themselves through their mission statement and goal. Considering, these relative factors, it is evident that competitive cheerleading is a sport. Competitive cheerleading is being

When most people think of cheerleading, they think of the spirit squads that attempt to pump up the local crowd at high school basketball and football games. People are not aware of what these athletes are doing when they are not in front of these crowds. Strangers to cheerleaders who do not follow the sport extensively do not know the exact involvement of the athletes in this sport, at all ages. Cheerleading requires athleticism like all other sports as you must be in shape and at a great fitness level to be involved in most circumstances. Cheerleaders have to know what they’re doing at all times; while knowing what everyone else on the team is doing as well, which involves a high level of mental preparation. Cheerleading, high school or

According to Joe Hatton, the author of the article, “Sports Beat - The sport of cheerleading: It’s more than just pompoms and smiles,” cheerleading is a sport because it requires strength, balance, and coordination. The major claim of the article is “cheerleading is a sport - plain and simple - and cheerleaders are true athletes” (Hatton C-04). The article offers the following arguments in support of the claim. Hatton claims because cheerleaders are athletes, cheerleading is a sport. Hatton also says cheerleading is a sport because of the competitive aspects. We believe cheerleading is not a sport, because not all cheerleaders compete. Most cheerleaders rarely, if ever, show athleticism. Cheerleading

To begin the argument at hand of whether or not cheerleading is a sport, it must be recognized that there isn’t truly a set/official definition for what a sport is. There are no set of regulations that have been universally agreed upon in which all activities can be examined against in order to determine whether those activities is a sport or not. It’s difficult to put under simple terms and rules what exactly qualifies something as a “sport” without disqualifying any currently agreed upon

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.

Cheerleading might be considered to be an extracurricular activity to the average individual, but have you tried it? Even though four years ago, a federal judge ruled that competitive cheerleading is not an official sport, this physical activity includes all of the elements and more of a defined coed sport.

Whether cheerleading is considered a sport has become a very controversial topic over the past few years. Due to lack of education of the sport, it is very frowned upon by other athletes. Other athletes seem to feel that cheerleading isn't difficult and requires minimum to no effort. These accusations can be very hurtful when coming from a cheerleader’s perspective. Based on their strength and skill, the amount of practicing and maintaining health, the number of injuries, and its competitive aspect, cheerleading should be considered a sport. The talent that these young men and women have is phenomenal. The performance of their skills looks extremely flawless but no one truly knows what goes on behind the pretty stunts and synchronized

One of the main reasons why the NCAA hasn’t picked up cheerleading as a sport is because it “doesn’t meet all the criteria of a sport”. That is true in some aspects of cheerleading, but for competition cheerleading it meets all of the needs of a sport. What actually is a sport though? According to Webster’s Dictionary, a sport is “ an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc.” But according to the NCAA a sport has to meet all the following criteria to be considered a

Cheerleading got gymnastic in it which is a sport. If gymnastic a sport wy cant cheerleading be a sport? Tumbling is also a sport. Tumbling is in cheerleading and some people stilll dont think it's a sport. If you combined two sports the outcome should be a sport

Cheerleading is commonly not consideres a sport because the inablility to compete against an opponet. Many people don't consider ''routines'' a sport etheir. People think that cheerleading might not be a sport might think that the activity is solely dedicated to entertain and movivate the crowd . Hartford, Connetict says ''Competitive cheerleading isn't an official sport that colleges can use to make gendar equalitiy requirments''. Salon.com says that '' Just because you're an organized team that regularly competes on a national level in physiscally demanding activity doesn't make it a

The definition of a sport is “an athletic activity requiring skill or physical [ability] and often a competitive nature… (“Sport”). Cheer leading has become a thriving female industry in a primarily male dominated world that should be worthy enough to receive the respect it deserves to be called a sport. Many may agree to competitive cheerleading being a sport due to it having to be highly competitive, physically and financially demanding, and requiring an abundant amount of trust in the team.

Cheer was founded by Johnny Campbell, he lead the first cheers on November, 1898 at the Minnesota University American football game. Campbell helped the crowd cheer for their team and helped their team to wins by cheering and encouraging. Cheerleaders have been required to lift up and throw people in the air, along with tumbling, jumps, and dance. These require the strength of football, grace of dance, and agility of gymnastics. The skills performed go beyond the limits of the body. Safety organizations like ,AACCA, have been formed because of the requirements and skills of cheer. Coaches have been professionally trained at national conventions. This sport takes a lot of time commitment.

Cheerleading, like many sports has many different aspects to it. There are also different kinds of cheerleading teams; you may participate in a game team, town team (AYC or Pop Warner), school sports team (Middle school, High school, or even college), or all-stars. Many people stereotype cheerleaders as girls running around in little skirt shaking pom poms. A cheerleader that competes is much more than that. On top of standing on sidelines at sports games; both football and basketball, they are working on a routine to compete against many other teams.