May 27 2008
Is cheerleading a sport?
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.
3 Responses to “Is cheerleading a sport?”
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Linda, really? Out of everyone, I would have expected you to agree with me on this. I can’t believe we disagree on something in this life, specifically in dealing with cheerleading! I do think cheerleading is a sport.
It’s funny, I just had a fairly heated discussion about this very topic with a guy on my team here last week.
I completely see your point in the blog…cheerleading was created to support the athletes on the field. It was never INTENTED to be a sport; however, it has evolved into one. The competition is there, you said so yourself. Cheerleaders fulfill their duties to their teams at games, but then they go above and beyond that in personal skill and duty to compete for their squad on the mat, at nationals or other competitions (we had more than one competetion each year). It is a sporting event in itself.
Granted, there is no Olympic level cheerleading, but you cannot discredit the passion and skill that cheerleaders have for their sport. It’s just like any basketball, soccer, or hockey star (high school or college level)….cheerleaders pour their lives into being the best that we can be as athletes. There is no ball to pass, no goal to score, but there is a winner and a loser, a calculated score, and blood/sweat/and tears.
I do not consider the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders athletes…they aren’t even cheerleaders though…they are porn stars with pompoms (sorry to be so honest). But the athletic, competitive, skillful, and passionate athletes that cheer their team to victory every week, and work their tails off in between to achieve a national title of their own….YES, I do call us extraordinary athletes. Cheerleading is a sport, in it’s own right. Whether it is an all-star squad (which I do not consider them “cheerleaders” either), a high school squad, or a college squad. In it’s original form, cheerleading was not created as a sport; however, today, now, in my experience, I busted my butt to defend my honor as an athlete of a great and difficult sport. Yes, I agree, it’s not your typical sport…but if dictionary.com can call hunting and fishing a sport, seriously, you’ve got to give it to cheerleading.
Cheerleading is a sport,they work hard,sweat,and really do more than they get credit for. They do just as much as any other person would in football,basketball,volleyball,etc.
So if you consider it a sport or not,it is.
:S
Cheerleading is NOT a sport-i agree with everything ‘Linda’ just said.