There are a lot of people that debate the following topic, “Is cheerleading a sport?” People think that cheer isn’t a sport because it’s not “athletic,” and cheerleaders just stand there clapping their hands together. Others believe that cheerleaders are athletes and cheerleading is a sport for many different reasons. I’m here to prove to you that cheer is a sport.
As a cheerleader, I am obviously on the cheer is a sport side. I have been cheering for about 9 years and I’ve experienced a lot. From my experience, we don’t just stand there and look pretty. At practice, we practice our routines and stunting over and over again. Stunts aren’t as easy as some of you might think they are. Try holding a cheerleader that is the same weight as you or maybe even bigger. During games, cheerleaders are cheering and stunting throughout the whole game. Judges expect a lot from cheerleaders during competitions. Hair, makeup, shoes all have to look exactly the same. Consequences take place when rules aren’t followed. Judges disqualify teams or take points off the overall score.
According to Varsity.com, “The Women’s Sports Foundation has narrowed the field down of what is considered a sport to these elements that are commonly agreed upon to define a sport: It must be a physical activity which involves propelling a mass through space or overcoming the resistance of mass. (Stunting… check)! “Contesting” or competing against/with an opponent is required (Competition… check)! It must be governed by rules that explicitly define the time, space, and purpose of the contest and the conditions under which a winner is declared. (Time limit, mat size, score sheets… check, check, check)! Acknowledgement that the primary purpose of the competition is a comparison of the relative skills of the participants. (You know those competitions on ESPN? Those are national championships… check)!” All of these things that Varsity.com mentioned, proves that cheer is a sport. But wait, there’s more.
According to Teenink.com, “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.”
There are more cheerleaders that get seriously injured, than any other athlete in any other sport. As Teenink.com explained before, cheerleaders don’t have any protection. The flyer just hopes that the bases and backspot know what they’re doing and catch her. The bases and backspot hope that the flyer stays up when she needs to and comes down and doesn’t fall. They just work and try really hard and hope for the best.
Now that you know some facts and statistics about cheerleading, let me explain what the other side thinks. Some people on the other side believe that it isn’t a sport because it doesn’t involve a ball. There are so many sports that don’t use a ball such as wrestling, swimming, boxing, ice-skating, track and cross country. Next, people believe that cheerleaders have more “down time,” meaning that we just stand there majority of the time. While, other athletes are constantly moving and don’t stop. Yes, that is true, cheerleaders aren’t constantly running back and forth but we are constantly moving. We are either tumbling, stunting, jumping or just cheering in general.
I understand why people would think that cheer isn’t a sport and that’s because they don’t actually experience it. Although, there are many facts, statistics, and proof that cheer is a sport, the following question will always be a debate: “Is cheerleading a sport?”
