College Sports

OK, here it comes… the blog that will totally tick off all of my cheerleader friends.

I was a college cheerleading coach for several years. I even coached a coed squad that competed at nationals. My squad practiced long hours, weathered numerous injuries. They worked hard on skills, such as partner stunts, tumbling, dance, etc. They had required time in the weight room.

But no, I don’t think cheerleading is a sport.

Let the hate bombs fly!

Here is what I do think. I think cheerleaders, especially those at the highest level, are athletes. They work as hard as the student-athletes you see competing in traditional sports on TV. And they risk serious injury… and even death (there have been several deaths attributed to cheerleading over the years).

If you look at the definition of sport, it says “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.” (courtesy Dictionary.com)

The key word in the definition is “competitive.” Cheerleading, in its true form, was never intended to be competitive. It was developed to be a support to the teams competing on the field. The students were yell leaders, charged with getting the crowd to cheer for the home team, to organize the spirit sections to create a home field advantage.

But it was never intended to be a sport in and of itself.

Competition cheerleading, which is now big business, came later. It is a once a year thing for most universities, taking place outside of the normal course of the university. The intent of the squad remains the same, to support the athletic teams, and to entertain and lead the fans.

Yes, there are squads that are competition only. But I can make the argument that these aren’t really cheerleading squads anyway. When do they cheer? Whom do they lead? They are really organized acrobatic teams, not cheerleaders.

Most cheerleaders, if not all, disagree with me. I don’t mean to belittle them. I believe that cheerleaders deserve scholarship money. Much is expected of them time-wise and ability-wise at the college level. When I was a mascot, we were presented with honorary letters at the end of the season. We earned them.

But cheerleading as sport? I just don’t think so.