Is cheerleading a sport?
First, I'd like to dispel some common myths about cheerleading.
Cheerleading does not require short skirts, blond hair, long legs, or a complete lack of brains. Cheerleading actually can be a real sport. Many cheerleading teams are "competition teams," meaning that they choreograph routines of stunts, dancing, and cheering and then take those routines to compete against other cheerleading teams.
Cheerleading is very physically demanding. In order to perform the stunts that are required, a cheerleader must be muscular, flexible, extremely coordinated and physically fit. Cheerleaders need to keep in top physical condition. Practices can last for as long as four or five hours per day five days a week, and routines can be as long as 3-5 minutes. To keep up with this requires quite a bit of stamina. We use our entire bodies for our sport, so it's usually easy for cheerleaders to make the transition to any other sport.
Cheerleading also teaches all its participants about the meaning of sportsmanship. In most team sports, such as hockey or soccer, it doesn't matter if one member of the team doesn't show up for a practice or a game. In cheerleading, however, missing one person is enough to seriously disable the entire team. Because everyone has very specific places to be during the entire routine, one person's absence creates a huge hole. Some stunts cannot go up if they're missing one person, and dances just don't look right if there's an empty space where a person should be.
Cheerleading has many difficult stunts and complicated dances. Movements must be sharp and clean, mounts must go up with ease and incredible strength, and you must get the crowd involved. Cheerleading is an athletic event, which requires 100 participation from the team.
Now in regards to the argument so many people use, "Cheerleading is not a sport because there is not a ‘scoring’ standard like in basketball or football". WRONG! A panel of judges will govern cheerleading competitions and teams receive ‘points’ for certain areas, we receive in the following categories:
Leadership (spirit, voice, crowd coverage, facials, confidence, etc.)
Performance (group coordination, control of movements, voice projection, level of difficulty, execution of skills, precision, timing, etc.)
Choreography (transitions, stunts, gymnastics, stability, floor coverage, level changes, formations, etc.)
Overall Appeal (showmanship, crowd response, creativity, originality, stamina, etc.)
Penalties are deducted for things such as failed stunts, falls, inappropriate content, lewd and suggestive movements, no synchronization, poor transitions, etc. Therefore, cheerleading does have a valid scoring system and can deemed as a sport.
The next argument I frequently hear is, "Cheerleading isn’t a sport because you don’t have rules". WRONG AGAIN! All cheerleading teams issue a set of rules each year to all teams.
Now the argument "Cheerleading isn’t defined as a sport" or "You can make anything a sport by reading the dictionary". WRONG! According to dictionary.com:
"sport (spôrt, sprt) n.
1. a. Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively.
b. A particular form of this activity.
2. An activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively.
3. An active pastime; recreation. "
Okay… this is NOT an open interpretation. Prostitution can NOT be a "sport" because even though there is physical exertion, there is NO governing organization that provides a manual full of rules and guidelines. Schools do NOT promote prostitution, they do NOT have ‘prostitution’ competitions, and it is NOT referred to as a "recreational pastime". You do NOT have a team of prostitutes all dress in matching uniforms and perform their ‘routine’ for the school. So, when they define "sport" in the dictionary, they are giving a pretty accurate description. You are the one who is using this definition for your own wild interpretation.
Cheerleading combines 3 major sports: weight lifting, gymnastics, and dance. Instead of lifting weights, we lift people. We have plenty of gymnastics in our routines, and our ‘dances’ are sharp, clean, and professional. Every time we perform our routine, we get quite the workout. Cheerleading IS a physical sport.
I realize, and also respect, that everyone has there own opinion on what is classifies as a "sport". However, before you make very rude and derrogatory C♥MMENTS, you need to know both sides of the story. I am not going to argue with anyone about their beliefs, but people need to realize in order to make a decision about anything- they should be informed. I have been in cheerleading for 4 years so I know what it is all about. I would like to invite anyone who still doubts whether or not cheerleading is a sport to come and watch all the videotapes I have of it. Once you have read this, seen the videos, and have actually learned what it is that you are arguing over, I will respect your decision. Until then, do not spew out some small minded opinion when you do not have any idea what cheerleading is all about.
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^^everything in there is the exact same in pennridge with the scoring & everything. i have been cheerleading for 10 years & that girl has only been doing it for 4. i think i kno what im talkin about when i say ,"yes, cheerleading is a sport!" that girl is offically my hero =]
it didnt hurt at all when she did it. it just hurts afterwards nd i couldnt sleep good becuase i normally sleep on my stomach but i couldnt becuase of my belly button so yeah i was up like all night lol. but uhm last night i was supposed to go midnight bowling with a buncha people but that never worked out becuase idk. but i went to bed early because my belly button hurt so bad nd i just wanted to wake up nd it be better lol but today nicoles coming over & were going to the mall hopefully with my brother to pick out presents for my mom, dad, and step mom & john. nd then shes hopefully sleeping over. which should be cool because me & nicole havent hung out in just about forever. but i gotta get a shower & yeah ill edit later maybe.. oh & i got this from nicole and thought it was quite funny..
<- HAHA chrsitian wrote happy bday alicia on his stomach. 
<- haha codyy
<- brittany me & courtney<3
<- codyyy.
<- haha codyy.
<- josh. when he was being nice lol
<- geeena. hahahah.
<- brittany. lol
<- hahahah erica got excited when she saw me. she decorated a shirt for me.
<- hahahah lindsey.
<- haha erica. 
<- leah doing her work in biology lol.
<- aw leah is so pretty.
<- HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!
<- i look like a cartoooon
<- HAHAHAHAHA.
<- im so NOT emo. hahaha
<- haha your jealous
<- HAHAHA i was dancing
<- hahaha me laughing
<- its a lollipop.
<- lollipop = love.
yeah butt. im hyper . mhm idk what to write.<3