Ive been a cheerleader since 3rd grade and I cant count how many times over the years I have heard people say cheerleadings not a sport. I would disagree with this because in order to be a cheerleader you have to be just as atheletic as the next person its not all cute skirts and pom poms cheerleading is a lot of work so why does everyone say its not a sport?!?!
2006-11-07 05:33:18 · 23 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Other - Sports
Most cheerleaders say “YES” while state and school officials say “no.” According to the National Federation of High School Athletic Associations, seventeen to twenty states of the United States consider cheerleading a sport. Why is the question, “Is cheerleading a sport?” such a controversial issue to anyone not involved with the sport? According to MSN Encarta, the definition of sport is an individual or group competitive activity involving physical exertion or skill, governed by rules, and sometimes engaged in professionally. Because cheerleading follows every aspect defined under the word sport, it is my belief that cheerleading should be defined as an actual sport.
The word cheerleader no longer means a sideline of squads that exist solely to support other sporting teams. Cheer teams are teams in their own right. College and high school cheer teams compete
for national titles just as football, basketball, baseball, etc. Cheerleaders are recruited for college scholarships that have been known to exceed amounts awarded to other sports teams. Some cheer teams put in more hours in the gym than teams such as football and basketball. Cheerleaders have to be in just as good physical condition as any other sport participant.
Cheerleading in the early years was nothing like the sport it is today. Over the past few decade cheerleading has evolved from leading audiences with simple arm movements to treacherous towers of humans and elaborate dances that are used to show the athleticism of cheerleaders. Cheerleading has developed from selections based on popularity to one that now claims some of the more talented athletes in the school/program.
Cheerleaders are not seen as athletes, but seen as being athletic. Cheerleaders are very specialized athletes. Most do not understand the skill and athleticism required by cheerleading. The gymnastics ability, power and strength make cheerleaders some of the more wellrounded athletes in sports. Cheerleading not only teaches coordination and helps condition competitors, but it also teaches teamwork, leadership, communication skills, organizational skills, productivity and much more.
Cheerleading contributes to the overall physical fitness of those involved. Many teams are in the gym four to six days a week working out, practicing, stretching and conditioning for upcoming performances or competitions. Running increases one’s lung power and endurance. Stretching, jumping, taking gymnastics and aerobics all help keep the body toned and healthy. So as you can see, cheerleading practice and workouts are much like those of other sports.
When it comes to funding issues, the sport of cheerleading is not equally supported. Monies are contributed to sports that do not consistently perform well. Cheer teams that do perform well usually do not receive the monetary compensations for their performances. Scholarships, donations from alumni, and extra funding to the school rarely get distributed to the cheer programs. Programs known for winning national titles over several years occasionally receive monies. I believe this occurs only once the administration realizes the need to keep those athletes in their program. Cheerleading does not bring the revenue to schools like football games; however, the publicity that some cheer teams contribute to the school can be profitable in other ways.
As a former cheerleader myself, I remember having long and strenuous practices which seemed to last forever. Because my life was so into cheerleading, I did and still consider cheerleading a sport. I have always told people who I’ve talked to about cheerleading that I consider it to be a sport. After being exposed to the competitiveness of cheerleading, I stand stronger behind my beliefs in the sport of cheerleading.
Being a co-owner and one of the head coaches for Clarksville Cheer Extreme, an all star cheerleading gym in Clarksville, Tennessee, I see the importance of the kids being in excellent physical condition. Most competition routines are 2 1/2 minutes in length of non-stop activity including jumping, running, tumbling, stunting and yelling. Two and one half minutes does not seem to be long, but for someone out of shape, it could be a lifetime. Our teams spend three months of their summer break conditioning and preparing for the upcoming competition season. The workout programs are intense and very much like other sports teams. Several exercises we use came from other sports workout programs.
Cheerleading a sport. Yes! If sports are defined as competitive activity involving physical exertion or skill, cheerleading has to be considered a sport. Because cheerleaders constantly put forth time, effort and dedication, it is hard for most to understand why the question has to be asked, “Is this a sport?” This question has been the cause for several all-star gyms to be created. Schools could not offer the competitiveness that several cheerleaders wanted to be a part of; therefore, all star gyms have been opened around the country to help the survival of competitive cheerleading and the sport of cheerleading.
Source(s):
http://www.cheerfactor.com/article34.htm...
2006-11-07 05:38:25 · answer #1 · answered by RIDLEY 6 · 7⤊ 0⤋
i'm a competitive and a school cheerleader, and i would have to say that competitive is a sport but school cheer isn't.its more of a stunt if u can tumble really well though.
2006-11-07 10:25:04 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
When you are attending a cheering competition, then it's a sport. Otherwise, it's entertainment during another kind of sport.
2006-11-07 05:41:43 · answer #3 · answered by roamin70 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
OOO man dont get me started.
I have cheered for 14 years and have been to many national compeitions. Cheerleading has come so far from what it was back in the day when they were just to "look cute". On a few of the allstar teams i have been on..there are football players who know they wont get football scholarships so they cheerlead so they can get cheerleading scholarships, and they say that the practices can compare to..and sometimes are harder then what they do.
I could go on for days with this subject, but cheerleading is most definitly a sport when it comes to the competive side. I used to work out 6 days a week for cheerleading and practices were still demanding.
I <3 cheerleading :o)
2006-11-07 05:41:52 · answer #4 · answered by tcshorti06 1 · 3⤊ 2⤋
I think its a Sport. You need to have alot of strength to hold the people up. You need to know how to do alot of tumbling. Cheerleading is alot of hard work, and even though i am not a cheerleader, some of my good friends are and there muscles are huge and they are very athletic lol. Cheerleading requires, alot of strength and practice, as any other sport does, therefore i think its a sport. I also think that Gymnastics is a sport as well.
2006-11-07 05:48:26 · answer #5 · answered by babygirlxo 2 · 3⤊ 2⤋
It must be a sport.
In a lot of cases the cheerleaders are in better physical condition than the people they are cheering for.
They practise at least as frequently if not more than most traditional sports.
Their routines are set, much as plays are set in most sports.
There is generally an excepted level of athleticism to be highly competitive, just like most sports although people of all athletic ability can participate, just like most sports.
They are entertainment, I agree, but that's all most sports are to the spectators, entertainment and a diversion from the drudgery of everyday life.
2006-11-07 05:45:35 · answer #6 · answered by Jamie 4 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Not a sport, here's why:
In order to be a sport, there are a few things that must be met:
- Athleticism
- Skill to do the task to advance one's chance of winning
- Clear cut winner and loser based upon hard defined objective data, i.e. point system
clearly, the athleticism and skill criteria are met. However, the point system in competive cheer is highly subjective, so it fails on the third point.
This also eliminates Bowling, Billiards, Ice Skating and other things from the "sport" tag.
I would term cheerleading an "Athletic Event". Bowling and Billiards are games.
2006-11-07 05:40:14 · answer #7 · answered by Manny 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Cheerleading is a sad cross between dance and gymnastics.
Dance is an art form.
Gymnastics is a sport.
Cheerleading is just a bad combination of the too. You do need strength but it isn't a sport, face it.
2006-11-07 05:36:25 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 5⤋
I've never been a cheerleader but you guys have competitions on ESPN so I guess it's a sport.
2006-11-07 05:36:33 · answer #9 · answered by ~Genie~ 3 · 4⤊ 4⤋
I am not sure they classify it as a sport in school cuz I was a cheerleader when I was in 3rd and 4th grade and I classified it as a sport!!!!!! So I am not quite sure!!!!!!!!! You have to be in great shape to do cheerleadung it is alot of hard work and practice!!!!!!!!! Bye!!!!!
2006-11-08 01:34:41 · answer #10 · answered by I'm single wanna mingle? 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It's not a sport. If it takes a panel of judges to subjectively decide who wins a competition, it's not a sport, regardless of the level of athletic skill involved.
Figure skating is not a sport. Diving is not a sport. Gymnastics is not a sport.
And neither is cheerleading.
2006-11-07 05:42:59 · answer #11 · answered by Edward S 3 · 1⤊ 5⤋