Cheerleading: Sport or not?

Topics: Cheerleading, Dance, Cheering Pages: 4 (1002 words) Published: September 26, 2013
There is always conversation about how cheerleading isn’t a sport or shouldn’t be considered one. 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. A real cheerleader doesn’t stand on the side; they are performing, working hard to be the best of the best. You have to be physically and mentally prepared to take on competitive cheer. Cheerleading should be a sport because it requires physical activity, strength, endurance and discipline.

Cheerleading’s main purpose is to entertain, motivate and bring together people of other sport teams. Merriam Webster dictionary defines sport as an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature. The skills involved in cheering leaves no doubt that cheerleaders are amazing athletes. They need to be as strong as a football player but as graceful as a ballet dancer. But, they need to be as flexible as an Olympic gymnast. They are athletes by every definition of the word. According to the Women’s Sports Foundation, the following criteria have to be met to be “considered” a sport… Physical activity which involves propelling a mass through space of overcoming the resistance of a mass. A contest or competition against or with an opponent.

Governed by rules which define time, space, and purpose of the contest and condition in which a winner is declared.
There is a serious stereotype on cheerleading. It is thought that cheerleaders are superficial and only care about looks and popularity, when in fact; there are countless hours that go into the preparation of an awesome routine practice of a highly competitive squad that is known for their abilities. Conditioning is what makes a team the best they can be. After a while, cheerleaders feel that they can accomplish anything they set their mind to. Cheerleading has developed into a thriving...


Cited: Cota, Marlene. “Cheerleading.org | The Voice of Cheerleading.” Cheerleadingorg. Varsity Brands, Inc, n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2013.
Campbell, John D., MD, and Barry P. Boden, MD. “Become an Advocate for Sports Safety.” Cheerleading Injuries. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2013.
“University Of Maryland.” American Cheerleader 12.1 (2006): 41. MAS Ultra – School Edition. Web. 9 Feb. 2012
Brady, Erik
“CheerleadingScholarships.us.” CheerleadingScholarshipsus RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2013.
February 20th, 2013
Cheerleading Should Be a Sport
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