Cheerleading is a Sport | Teen Ink

Cheerleading is a Sport MAG

By Anonymous

     The New York Times states that cheerleading is the fastest growing girls’ sport, yet more than half of Americans do not believe it is a sport. In addition, they fail to distinguish between sideline cheerleaders and competitive ones. Sideline cheerleaders’ main goal is to entertain the crowd and lead them with team cheers, which should not be considered a sport. On the other hand, competitive cheerleading is a sport.

A sport, according to the Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Advisors, is a “physical activity [competition] against/with an opponent, governed by rules and conditions under which a winner is declared, and primary purpose of the competition is a comparison of the relative skills of the participants.” Because cheerleading follows these guidelines, it is a sport.

Competitive cheerleading includes lots of physical activity. Like gymnasts, cheerleaders must learn to tumble. They perform standing back flips, round flip flops, and full layout twists. Cheerleaders also perform lifts and tosses. This is where the “fliers” are thrown in the air, held by “bases” in different positions that require strength and cooperation with other teammates.

Just as basketball and football have guidelines for competitive play, so does competitive cheerleading. The whole routine has to be completed in less than three minutes and 15 seconds and the cheerleaders are required to stay within a certain area.

Competitive cheerleaders’ goal is to be the best. Just like gymnasts, they are awarded points for difficulty, technique, creativity and sharpness. The more difficult a mount or a stunt, the sharper and more in-sync the motions, the better the score. Cheerleading is a team sport so without cooperation and synchronization, first place is out of reach.

According to the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research, cheerleading is the number-one cause of serious sports injuries to women. Emergency room visits for cheerleading are five times the number than for any other sport, partially because they do not wear protective gear. While many athletes are equipped with hip pads, knee pads, shin guards or helmets, smiling cheerleaders are tossed into the air and spiral down into the arms of trusted teammates. The fliers must remain tight at all times so that their bases can catch them safely. Also, because cheerleading is not yet recognized as a sport by many schools, neither proper matting nor high enough ceilings are provided to ensure safety. Instead, the girls use whatever space is available. More recognition of competitive cheerleading as a sport would decrease the number of injuries.

So why do many Americans not think cheerleading is a sport? It cannot be because cheerleaders do not use balls or manipulate objects (if you do not count megaphones, pompoms and signs as objects). Wrestling, swimming, diving, track, cross-country, gymnastics, ice-skating and boxing are recognized sports that do not use balls. Some people argue that cheerleaders are just “flirts in skirts” with their only job to entertain the crowd, but cheerleaders today compete against other squads and work just as hard as other athletes.

Competitive cheerleading is a sport. It is a physical activity that is governed by rules under which a winner can be declared and its primary purpose is to compare the skills of participants. Hopefully, cheerleading will become as well-known a sport as football and basketball, and even appear in the Olympics since cheerleaders are just as athletic and physically fit as those involved in the more accepted sports.



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This article has 497 comments.


on Sep. 15 2011 at 12:58 pm
Freedom.ThroughPens GOLD, Alpharetta, Georgia
17 articles 0 photos 11 comments

Favorite Quote:
“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” -Einstein

This is interesting because a few weeks ago, I came out with an article that said "cheerleading is not a sport." I may disagree with you on your overall point, but you nicely articulated your thoughts.

on Sep. 11 2011 at 1:47 pm
Incorrect spelling is also dangerous.

all4kix BRONZE said...
on Aug. 30 2011 at 5:13 pm
all4kix BRONZE, Seattle, Washington
3 articles 0 photos 1 comment
I do agree that cheerleading is a sport. I play volleyball and just because I can't to flips and things like that doesn't mean that it is any less of a sport. I get where you are comming from though because I dance and I don't think many people on my volleyball team would be able to to the things I do in my dance class. All sports are challenging in there own way and just because many people can't switch to a different sport and expect to do well doesn't mean that their sport is any less of one than the other.

a8787 said...
on Aug. 26 2011 at 7:36 pm
ok first of all you have to be metally strong to be able to throw people in the air and stay there to catch them even if they are going to fall on your face ,you have to trust the people on your team to do the right tjing at the right time and to give 110% everytime even if theyre tired , sore,and if they dont want to be at practice at that time

on Aug. 26 2011 at 3:52 pm
marissa87 BRONZE, Glenmoore, Pennsylvania
4 articles 3 photos 80 comments

Favorite Quote:
what is popular is not always right and what is right is not always popular

good!! yay haha

soldout said...
on Aug. 25 2011 at 4:44 pm
This is an interesting essay because honestly, I wouldn't immediately label "cheerleading" a sport, you know? But then I got a new perspective on how cheerleading has so many dimensions to it. I'm with you for the cheerleading in the olympics idea. It's not fair when cheerleaders that put extraordinary effort into their routines, only to be teased for participating in something so "useless". Isn't it similar to gymnastics though? And I don't think they'd call THAT useless. I think one day the world will get smarter and see that what they consider "useless" and "pretty-pretty" is a hardcore sport!

on Aug. 25 2011 at 4:10 pm
EllenVellenSpellen, Wheaton, Illinois
0 articles 0 photos 8 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I've never let my school interfere with my education."
Mark Twain

Good. That was my only point. I do agree with you about dancing, I just didn't like the way you put cheerleading down, (because as stated in earlier comment, cheerleaders are human and they deserve repsect like anyone else, plus dance doesn't NEED to have something else put down for it to be raised up) but that was just your odd wording, so nevermind... XD

on Aug. 25 2011 at 12:35 pm
marissa87 BRONZE, Glenmoore, Pennsylvania
4 articles 3 photos 80 comments

Favorite Quote:
what is popular is not always right and what is right is not always popular

i get where you are coming from and i think that competetive cheerleading is a sport but what i dont think you understand and i think that it was partially my fault was my wording. in my opinion i think dance has a little more edge then cheerleading does in physical fitness, but i am not saying that it isnt a sport. Also dance started out as a guys sport ballet was made for guys eventhough now it isnt as male dominate girls had to fight to get into the sport too. Just wanted to make that point. But overall i think that competetive cheerleading is a sport but dance has a little edge on them in the physical fitness catogory. Im sorry if you dont agree but that is just the way i look at and its not gonna change. I know alot of people who cheerlead and i have watched it many times. they do put out alot of effort and i respect them for that.

rashima said...
on Aug. 25 2011 at 10:23 am
Cheerleading is cheerleading which is a  performing art to  entertain with all the possible acrobatics, dance, and sport.

on Aug. 24 2011 at 10:00 pm
SunnySummers GOLD, New York, New York
13 articles 1 photo 54 comments

   I definitely agree with you. Not only does "hard" or "easy" depend on the amount of effort you put in, but on the ability and natural talent of the individual in question. If two people put the same effort into a  sport but one is more talented athletically, that one will find the game easier, generally speaking.

    And I do think that cheerleading can be considered a sport, under certain circumstances. I dance and, though I don't consider it a sport, it is sometimes thought of as one. My classmates and I put in a lot of effort and time, just like any good athletes. (And as a side note, I'd like to say that I agree with you a million times over about modesty. When we perform at my arts centre, we make sure to buy modest costumes. I mean, we're not there to show our bodies to the world, we want them to see our acting, dancing, and other talents. And, because it is a Christian studio, we ultimately want to glorify God, but no, it wouldn't kill the cheerleaders to wear a little more. We do and it doesn't hinder flexibility in the least.


on Aug. 24 2011 at 9:32 pm
abstractintensity PLATINUM, Denton, Texas
23 articles 1 photo 4 comments
I think it's well written and you can definitely classify cheerleading as a sport, but I wouldn't use the definition of "sport" to do so because competative theatre also falls under that category according to the definition and that certainly isn't a sport. 

on Aug. 24 2011 at 9:09 pm
EllenVellenSpellen, Wheaton, Illinois
0 articles 0 photos 8 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I've never let my school interfere with my education."
Mark Twain

And guys too for cheerleading. Sorry, forgot about them, but they always help! :p

on Aug. 24 2011 at 9:06 pm
EllenVellenSpellen, Wheaton, Illinois
0 articles 0 photos 8 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I've never let my school interfere with my education."
Mark Twain

If cheerleading is not 'acceptable as a sport, than at least cheerleaders should be accepted as people, because they have had to fight to get where competitive cheerleading has gone now. Plus, if you think about it, these girls and women are shaping the future of cheerleading, just the same way women have carved out their place in sports previously. Remember before the 1997 women's world cup for soccer? It wasn't respectable or accepted that girls play soccer, let alone any team sport. Mia Hamm, Christine Lilly, Brandi Chastain... They all had to fight for the next generation so that we can expirience what we do today, all you female soccer players out there. So from that I have a high respect for cheerleaders fighting to bring their sport to the next level. The world could always use a good kick in the pants.

on Aug. 24 2011 at 8:59 pm
EllenVellenSpellen, Wheaton, Illinois
0 articles 0 photos 8 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I've never let my school interfere with my education."
Mark Twain

Look, you're making it sound like you want to prove that one sport is better than the other sport. But what I am saying is that a sport is what you put into it, its what you make it. Your sister sounds like an amazing person and dance is an incredible sport, but that doesn't need to mean that just because your sister works hard at something she loves that a cheerleader may not work eiththe same effort at what she loves. If anything, I would think you would understand where a cheerleader is coming from, your sister being a dancer, because there are some silly people in this world who don't think dance is a sport. It hurts when someone puts down something you work so hard at and something you love so much. It is wrong and I ask that you please think about it from that point of view. I beg that you at least respect them for pursuing what they love and to not put them down because of that.

on Aug. 24 2011 at 8:17 pm
marissa87 BRONZE, Glenmoore, Pennsylvania
4 articles 3 photos 80 comments

Favorite Quote:
what is popular is not always right and what is right is not always popular

No i am not kidding. I saw the disney world competetion on my television and yes it looked athletically challenging but i think, from having a sister who dances 7 days a week for over two hours a week i know how physicaly challenging it is. also i play travel soccer so you dont need to tell me all that stuff i know about it. Also i agree that competetive cheerleading is a sport but i dont think it is as challenging as dance. im sorry it my opinion. Also you say they have to be gymnastics  trained and all that stuff. watch some dance shows on tv and go to some shows then talk to me because dancers are the most flexible people i know.

on Aug. 24 2011 at 8:09 pm
marissa87 BRONZE, Glenmoore, Pennsylvania
4 articles 3 photos 80 comments

Favorite Quote:
what is popular is not always right and what is right is not always popular

Just as a point. i watched the disney world thing too and yes they are athletic but having a sister who dances 7 days a week for over two hours i know that dancing is much more challenging then cheerleading. i am not saying that it isnt a sport because competetivly it is. o and buy the way you dont have to explain those things to me i play travel soccer. anyway that is my opinioin you dont have to like it but that is what it is. Just saying.

on Aug. 24 2011 at 5:34 pm
ExplicitRainstorms SILVER, Long Beach, California
8 articles 2 photos 2 comments
Tenwyg, I respect you so much. You are incredibly correct and proved your point flawlessly. (and I agree)

on Aug. 24 2011 at 3:58 pm
EllenVellenSpellen, Wheaton, Illinois
0 articles 0 photos 8 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I've never let my school interfere with my education."
Mark Twain

Are you kidding?! I am just going to say that I am a soccer player, so I have no bias, but competitive cheerleading is incredibly difficult and takes skill from gymnastics and dance and puts them into a team situation. It is definitely a sport and if you want proof, go to the national competition at Disney Word. I was there for a soccer tournament and I got to see them practice and they were amazing. Completely changed my view of cheerleaders from the pathetic flirts on the sidelines, to the skilled athletes of the high levels.

Another point: all sports have different levels of comitment and difficulty within the sport. For soccer, there is park district (usually very low level, minimal training, to be blunt a joke) then there's club soccer (high to very high level, professional training, lots of traveling for different competitions, the works). As you can see, there are huge differences between the two extreams of each catagory (park disrict and club) just as there are between 'sideline cheerleading' to competitive cheerleading.


on Aug. 24 2011 at 3:31 pm
marissa87 BRONZE, Glenmoore, Pennsylvania
4 articles 3 photos 80 comments

Favorite Quote:
what is popular is not always right and what is right is not always popular

i want you to explain to me exactly how dance is not a sprt. I am not a dancer but my sister is and i can tell you she does just as much practice and physical activity as i do and i play travel soccer, and softball. which are both sports.

on Aug. 24 2011 at 3:28 pm
marissa87 BRONZE, Glenmoore, Pennsylvania
4 articles 3 photos 80 comments

Favorite Quote:
what is popular is not always right and what is right is not always popular

dance is much more challenging. NO OFFENSE!