Column: Is cheerleading a sport or not?

My Take

Published: Saturday, July 10, 2004

Updated: Monday, October 6, 2008 00:10

So, the UC Cheer and Dance teams fared well at the National Championships in Orlando, Florida this past weekend. Great. I hope they do even better next year, but instead of helping them feel even more spirited and cheery than they do, I have to open up a can of worms in the form of the question that haunts every cheerleader or dancer that believes what they do is actually a sport.

Well...is it or isn't it?

This question has sat in and burned a hole in the pocket of American society far too long. Time to address the problem.

This topic was discussed two weeks ago in a course I am taking. The one concept the class, which consists of women and men came to is, to be a sport, the "sport" at hand must be physical, competitive and organized. Sure some are thinking to themselves that cheerleading fits the bill...think again.

First and foremost we are talking about the cheer and dance teams main purpose for which they were constructed, and that is to cheer for another team like basketball or football.

Any team that is created to cheer for another team people actually pay to watch doesn't deserve to be called sport. These groups are at the games to merely rile up the crowd and help create a home court advantage for the real sports.

Second, if it is a sport, what exactly are the participants playing? Are they at the games to show the fans how special it must be to do a flip 15 feet in the air and land in three other cheerleaders' arms instead of on their heads? That's what it looks like to me.

I couldn't tell you the last time I saw Tony Bobbitt and Jason Maxiell interrupt Bob Huggins halftime speech, run onto the court and take their places Indian style on the baseline to cheer on the performance given by the Dance team. And I sure couldn't tell you the last time Robert Whaley or Kareem Johnson dunked one home, stopped under the basket, slapped their hands together and screamed "Lets go 'Cats."

There sure isn't a score at the end of the halftime show stating the cheerleaders in the black tops are beating the others in the red tops.

So again I ask, what do they play? They don't...period.

Sure they go to places like Orlando and compete with other cheerleaders once a year, but the main purpose is, well, to cheer on sports, try and be one with a once-a-year contest.

I'm not downing the teams at all. I think what they have worked for and accomplished as a unit is very productive and exciting for them and others who appreciate what they do.

I am actually one of those people that will praise them for the time and strength they put into their performances. I believe they all stay in incredible shape to be able to do what they do, but if we start accepting all the wannabe sports as sports, it will only defeat the purpose of having sport all in itself.

Before you know it video games, although fun, time-consuming and very competitive, will be a sport. Before you know it, we will call anything a sport if people feel strongly about it.

Same goes for fishing, billiards and putt-putt. These hobbies and games are also on the borderline as a sport to some, but to me they just fill up the empty space in the wee hours of the morning on ESPN or they are simply put on at the same time as a real sport to please promoters of the wannabes. This is a way to air the wannabe sports when no one else is watching.

Sport or not, the question posed will live forever. I just hope they don't forget to cheer at halftime shows, because overall it is fun to watch.

Questions, comments or have an opinion about sports? E-mail Jason at Jwill636@yahoo.com

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Your name

Fri May 22 2009 19:15

cheer is a sport! if it is not, than neither i wrestling, or NASCAR. Driving a car in circles really fast is about as talented as running in circles really fast. I am in 9th and went to comp. you who are arguing against this try cheerleading sometime.

Your name

Fri May 22 2009 19:05

cheerleading involves all the above arguments for it. But it should not be considered a sport due to excessive regulations, and cheerleaders would not receive the chance to attend many competitions.

Your name

Wed May 20 2009 18:16

ok steve u have a point, but cheer also involves gymnastics. And gymnastics is a sport. And yes you're right about us working very very very very hard. Thank you for recognising that. I respect your opinion. So cheer should be considered a sport

Steve

Wed May 20 2009 17:38

READ BEFORE COMMENTING!!

I have a few things to say: Cheerleaders work very very very very very very hard. There is not denying that. But hard work does not make something a sport. If it did, then carpentry would be a sport...construction would be a sport...among many other things.
Saying "The day you can go out there and do a round-off back handspring back tuck with ease, then you can tell me we don't work hard." means nothing...I could say this "The day you can go out there and pick up a guitar and play Through the Fire and the Flames with ease, then you tell me I don't work hard." Does playing guitar become a sport because it takes lots of hard work? no...

Also, please do not compare cheerleading to things such as gymnastics and swimming. The above author made no statements about any of those being or not being sports.

Please, if you think cheerleading is a sport. Please say so. But do NOT compare it to other sports, say that hard works make cheerleading a sport, or say that because it is dangerous and causes injury that cheerleading is a sport.

If you have any other reasons for thinking that cheerleading is a sport. Or if you do not agree with me...please feel free to email me at faith413@charter.net

Have a nice day,
Steve

BEVERYLY

Tue May 19 2009 21:09

cheer is a sport, and i am willing to fight someone who believes it is not.

Your name

Mon May 18 2009 16:52

Unfortunately, most of society (on the other side of the true cheerleading community) doen not feel as strongly about calling cheerleading a sport, but it is. Why wouldn't it be? I've convinced my parents to let me cheer, and although they aren't happy about me partaking in such strenuous and dangerous activity, they do realize that it's something that makes me happy. :D Cheerleading also consists of gymnastics and dance, both of which I have or currently partake in, which are generally considered sports as well. There will always be people out there who won't have high respect for it, but thank goodness for the people who realize the teamwork and effort that goes into learning and performing our routines. Yes, cheering at a game isn't all that strenuous, but competitive cheering is! Recent statistics show that cheerleading is more dangerous that football, and that's saying something! I mean, it's not that something has to be highly dangerous to be considered a sport, but despite the controversy, I truly feel that cheerleading is a sport. It's just the stereotypes and labels that cheerleaders, as well as gymnasts and dancers, often receive, which is unfair. There will always be ditzy or stupid or (whatever label you want to insert here) people out there, yes, even in other sports! God forbid there's a ditzy soccer player! Or a blond golfer! Goodness. There will be people like that out there, so I just don't understand why cheerleaders continue to be portrayed in a negative light. Can someone explain that to me?! I really don't understand why there is all this negativity aimed towards cheerleaders, or just performers in general. Furthermore, why does the media continue to portray cheerleaders (Especially) in such a negative air? It seems that in many movies I see in which actresses and actors are portraying cheerleaders, they are seen wearing what could be considered slutty clothing (real cheerleaders don't wear teeny tiny bras and panties while cheering, at least not in high school!), have an air of superiority, and often bash others around them. Many of the performers I know, including myself, are very academically gifted! Personally, I have a 3.9 GPA right now, and am at the top of my sophmore class. Why does the media continue to portray people like us negatively? It's only continuing to hurt us and make us look bad!

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Wed May 13 2009 20:19

cheering is so a sport!!! whether ur competing or cheering for a team. cheer is so a sport!!!

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Mon May 11 2009 17:20