Is cheerleading a sport?

[WesVLT]

You knew this question would arise sooner or later, so I'll present it without offering an opinion or vote of my own. I'm just interested in what you think. Explain your rationale here.

[OnlineLC]

I love Sports, I love dance..............Cheerlleading is neither.

[TrojanSportsFan]

I'd say cheerleading is a sport when they go to competitions and camps. There they compete with other squads. That's what a sport is right, competing against each other. Even at games each schools squad are sorta trying to out do each other, so that's competiton too. Then between quarters and at half time they do cheers and dances to music. (There's your dance Online) lol So I'd say cheerleading is a sport. Not in the sense that football and basketball are, but it still is.

[Opperman]

I'd say cheerleading is a sport when they go to competitions and camps. There they compete with other squads. That's what a sport is right, competing against each other. Even at games each schools squad are sorta trying to out do each other, so that's competiton too. Then between quarters and at half time they do cheers and dances to music. (There's your dance Online) lol So I'd say cheerleading is a sport. Not in the sense that football and basketball are, but it still is.

You can make the exact same arguments for band being a sport..

[MaryvilleRebels]

Can you change the poll to...YES, NO, and SOMETIMES? Cause I think that cheerleading is a sport in competition, but not on a field when they are actually cheer leading.

[mchsballer]

There is a huge stereotype when it comes to cheeleaders, and whos to say it isnt correct. Im sure there are alot of them out there who take it very seriously and work hard and really eat sleep and breathe it, like a real athelte would their sport. But how many of those do you see? Majority are absolutly living up to the stereotype, popping gum, twirling their hair, talking and fixing makeup. They cheer only when its convenient for them and meanwhile look up in the crowd pointing out cute boys and waving at friends. They talk about eachother behind their backs, and sometimes get in yelling matches between themselves in the middle of a game. What kind of talent does it take to do this? How can a person get a scholorship for this? Most cheerleaders dont even know what their cheering for, they dont know the first thing about the sport, and doubt they really care. Im sorry, but if I do something, Id like to know about it. When they go to competetion, it is arguably a sport, but I think a sport is a sport ALL the time, not just every once in awhile, and I dont think that majority of cheerleaders are atheletes. But thats just my $.02

[OnlineLC]

I think mchsballer has caught a lot of my views of cheerleading and I am not saying it just to be mean as my daughter was one. It was an elite club with incredible back biting and I (and she) is glad she got out of it. She is a dancer by gifting and the workout she gets preparing for that is many times greater than Cheerleading Practice and is a lot more focused.

 

One thing that absolutely amazed me last year was during the last game of Football for our Middle School. The team had won every game and what is more had never ever been scored on all season. In the 3rd Quarter, the opposing team had the ball on our 5 yard line. At that point the Cheerleading Captain decides to run one of their set pieces which had nothing to do whatsoever with the defense play that was required on the field. As the opposing teams trailback runs into the endzone, all the cheerleading moms are applauding vigorously as their daughters bob their heads and complete their little piece.

[goldenboy]

Our football chearleaders are pretty funny. They'll be chanting defense when we're on offense and I was asked quite a few times during my career if we needed touchdowns. lol I voted no though because band could never be a sport. Cheerleading would be a sport at competitions but that's it. Our cheerleaders made it to nationals last year, I think, but couldn't raise enough money to go.

[Catalyst]

I agree with TSF, it is a sport when cheerleaders compete against each other...not during games when they just cheer.

[JustWrestle]

I agree pretty much with what has been said. I think you could say they are athletes, in their own way. Mostly they are very physically fit, are kinda like gymnasts in that they do tucks, flips, roundoffs, etc. I think gymnasts are athletes, don't you? They jump, they run, and other such stuff. But at games, I really don't see them as athletes at that time. It seems they are more into themselves as they stand around, talk about stuff and get a little bit of cheering in on the side. I think they are more considered athletes when they go to competitions against other squads. Other than that, it has always been a great popularity match. Yes, they probably do provide a service to the teams, at times, when they are cheering and the crowd is in to it, but mostly, they seem to be there just for themself, to be seen, etc.

[/code]

I know that these statements will offend those girls/guys that are really into cheerleading, but it is just how people view this "sport". Last year one of the little 8th grade cheerleaders got into trouble for tardies at school and when the teacher gave her a write-up after the 3rd tardy the little girl's response was, "You can't do this to me. I'm a cheerleader!" Needless to say, she still went to the office, but got only "warned & counseled". Oh well. Anyway. On the bowling board someone asked the question if bowling was really considered a sport. These girls/guys are basically athletes, much like a gymnast, but is it a sport. I don't think so.

[MaryvilleRebels]

Wrestle...that post was enfuego! On fire!! I totally agree with that. I don't question the cheerleaders athletic ability or their intelligence, but I do question whether cheering is a sport! Now, I am just playing the devil's advocate here, but some cheerleaders will claim that games are merely practices for the competition and every type of sport has practices. So what are your responses to that remark?

[mchsballer]

Well, every SPORT Ive ever practiced for- you Practice like you play regardless, and if thats their excuse, thats fine, but they definatly dont treat it as such.