Is Cheerleading A sports?
439588
A sport should meet three criteria:\n\nI. It should require athletic ability.\nII. It should involve some unique skills.\nIII. It should involve direct head-to-head competition in which one side's performance directly affects the other side's.\n\nIn this case, while cheerleading may meet the first two criteria, it does not meet the final one. Thus, cheerleading, like ice skating or gymnastics, is not a "sport".
637210
I've been a dancer all of my life and have been asked this question many times...  I don't know that I would call it a sport.  When I think of a sport I think of someone winning something.  While, yes, there are dance competitions, I think that they are worthless.\nI think that dance is something that is extremely athletic to the point that it is a sport just minus the competiveness.  If you asked anyone off the street to do a combination of dance steps, there is no way they would be able to do it.  If a basketball player was asked to do some dance steps, they'd be unable to do it.  Dancers are athletes for sure.  Whether dance is a sport or not is something different.  I guess if they can call cheerleading a sport, dance is a sport too.  You know, "Cheerleaders are dancers gone retarded!"
72890
Cheerleading in Australia.  It is not a big thing generally in Australia.  At the bigger games - games supported by corporations - yes we have cheerleaders.  It's not a career thing here.  It is one of those things we seem to be copying from the USA. On this basis it is not something most Australia are wrapped it. On the basis that it can be nice to look at while the team is taking a break, it is accepted and enjoyed. Naturally if you have a family member in the squad you probably are very into it.
132937
Usually in middle school there are cheerleading teams.
391604
YESSS. It not only is a very fun game. It combines skill, exercise, teamwork and winning. If thats not a sport what is?
1058913
Now that you mention it, I guess I never really considered it a sport.  But it is when you go to competition & get scored, I guess, now isn't it?\n\nIt's just the same reason that people would say dance, cheer, or swim may not be a sport.  How about figure skating?\n\nPeople usually equate sports with those we competed in in high school - football, basketball, softball, baseball....I wouldn't consider track or cross country sports either, I don't guess.  Just because there's a squad, group, or team doesn't necessarily mean it's a sport.\nBut then it doesn't mean it's NOT, either.\n\nIt all depends on a person's perspective.\nNext time a friend or family member gives you crap about it, throw your board down & see how far they can get before landing on their heads.  \nIt takes a LOT of skill and coordination, and that's good enough for me.  Rock on.
683970
at my school cheerleading is under athletics so it is counted as a sport, but most people dont believe that cheerleading is a sport. IT IS!! NEVER LET ANYONE TELL YOU THAT CHEERLEADING ISN'T A SPORT!!!
494301
Some schools let it be a sport, but many schools prohibit the acrobatics and other things that make cheerleading a sport.
469921
yes cheerleading is a sport. especially competive cheering with stunts involved. its so funny to hear boys talk about how its not a sport, but imagine how much more funny it would be to watch them try it. it's difficult to do, it takes talent and stamena, practice and technique. Just because your not knocking anyone down to get a ball, doesnt make it any less of a sport. Its alot more then kicking and screaming, anyone that can actually do it can tell you that. You can't "play" swimming but its still a sport. Idiots.
1066213
Sports are a great diversion. Especially for men, I believe, it allows them to unleash emotion in ways that are no longer tolerable elsewhere in society. It allows us to reach back to our primal instincts. There is clear victory and defeat, and cheering is a great release of stress. Unfortunately, losing only adds to our stress. That's why you see so many people jumping on the bandwagon of a winning team
373044
of course it is a sport! why do you think it's in the Olympics! I used to do gymnastic and believe me it is not easy at all i have also done basketball and volleyball but those two didn't compare up to the difficulty of gymnastics. To do gymnastic you have to be crazy strong, you have to have so much endurance to nail that back tuck and the end of your routine. People who don't think the gymnastics is a sport are probably just jealous because they could never in there life do what gymnast do. Personally I think gymnasts like Carly Patterson are awesome people to look up to because they are amazing!
641315
I don't think a lot of people realize how competitive and athletic cheerleading has become.  I think back to when I was in high school and all the cheerleaders did back then was dance a little and kick a little and shake their pom-poms and lead cheers and look all cute and perky.\n\n"Rah rah ree, kick 'em in the knee!\n Rah rah razz, kick 'em in the other knee!"\n\nIn fact, in my high school, and I'm sure in most others at the time - this was about 25 years ago now - cheerleaders were voted on by the student body, so it was as much a popularity contest as it was anything else.\n\nI look at the junior high and high school cheerleader squads nowadays, and I'm seeing all sorts of flips and throws and athletic stunts that they would have thought to be absolutely insane back when I was that age.  \n\nAs far as what to do to explain to people what cheerleading is now as opposed to how they remember it?  Perhaps when you have your sign-up nights, you could arrange to have some videos running that show competitions and what the girls will be expected to do, or have some visual of that nature, maybe even a demo or two by your current squad, so that the parents and the girls can see how cheerleading has evolved into the sport it is now, rather than the primping and giggling that it used to be.
331398
Cheerleading. Cheerleading has to do with so many flips and turns, that it is so easy to mess up, and screw your life.
1086516
Yes .. it is a sport ... and a silly one.
609708
any sports that are actually sports...baseball, basketball, softball, golf, football(soccer), NFL/NCAA football
933386
Most cheerleaders say “YES” while state and school officials say “no.” According to the National Federation of High School Athletic Associations, seventeen to twenty states of the United States consider cheerleading a sport. Why is the question, “Is cheerleading a sport?” such a controversial issue to anyone not involved with the sport? According to MSN Encarta, the definition of sport is an individual or group competitive activity involving physical exertion or skill, governed by rules, and sometimes engaged in professionally. Because cheerleading follows every aspect defined under the word sport, it is my belief that cheerleading should be defined as an actual sport.\n\nThe word cheerleader no longer means a sideline of squads that exist solely to support other sporting teams. Cheer teams are teams in their own right. College and high school cheer teams compete\nfor national titles just as football, basketball, baseball, etc. Cheerleaders are recruited for college scholarships that have been known to exceed amounts awarded to other sports teams. Some cheer teams put in more hours in the gym than teams such as football and basketball. Cheerleaders have to be in just as good physical condition as any other sport participant.\n\nCheerleading in the early years was nothing like the sport it is today. Over the past few decade cheerleading has evolved from leading audiences with simple arm movements to treacherous towers of humans and elaborate dances that are used to show the athleticism of cheerleaders. Cheerleading has developed from selections based on popularity to one that now claims some of the more talented athletes in the school/program.\n\nCheerleaders are not seen as athletes, but seen as being athletic. Cheerleaders are very specialized athletes. Most do not understand the skill and athleticism required by cheerleading. The gymnastics ability, power and strength make cheerleaders some of the more wellrounded athletes in sports. Cheerleading not only teaches coordination and helps condition competitors, but it also teaches teamwork, leadership, communication skills, organizational skills, productivity and much more.\n\nCheerleading contributes to the overall physical fitness of those involved. Many teams are in the gym four to six days a week working out, practicing, stretching and conditioning for upcoming performances or competitions. Running increases one’s lung power and endurance. Stretching, jumping, taking gymnastics and aerobics all help keep the body toned and healthy. So as you can see, cheerleading practice and workouts are much like those of other sports.\n\nWhen it comes to funding issues, the sport of cheerleading is not equally supported. Monies are contributed to sports that do not consistently perform well. Cheer teams that do perform well usually do not receive the monetary compensations for their performances. Scholarships, donations from alumni, and extra funding to the school rarely get distributed to the cheer programs. Programs known for winning national titles over several years occasionally receive monies. I believe this occurs only once the administration realizes the need to keep those athletes in their program. Cheerleading does not bring the revenue to schools like football games; however, the publicity that some cheer teams contribute to the school can be profitable in other ways.\n\nAs a former cheerleader myself, I remember having long and strenuous practices which seemed to last forever. Because my life was so into cheerleading, I did and still consider cheerleading a sport. I have always told people who I’ve talked to about cheerleading that I consider it to be a sport. After being exposed to the competitiveness of cheerleading, I stand stronger behind my beliefs in the sport of cheerleading.\n\nBeing a co-owner and one of the head coaches for Clarksville Cheer Extreme, an all star cheerleading gym in Clarksville, Tennessee, I see the importance of the kids being in exce
778921
gymnastics,cheerleading,fiqure skating.