Cheerleading Is A Sport

Words: 1190
Pages: 5
Open Document
Cheerleading consists of men and women doing cool flips and tricks to support a team or to compete. It is an activity that numerous children spend years trying to perfect. Many debate whether cheerleading should be considered a sport. Despite common opinion and the NCAA, the athleticism and competiveness in cheerleading proves that it is a sport.
The NCAA, the National College Athletic Association, has certain standards an athletic activity must follow in order to be a collegiate sport. Their definition of a sport is “an institutional activity involving physical exertion with the purpose of competition versus other teams or individuals within a collegiate competition structure” (Johnson and Sailor 257). According to this definition, cheerleading …show more content…
Despite what others might think, cheerleading has a better chance of causing serious injuries than other sports. Bernstein wrote, “According to a 2012 report and policy statement by the American Academy of Pediatrics, cheerleading ‘accounted for 65 percent of all direct catastrophic injuries to girl athletes at the high school level and 70.8 percent at the college level’ between 1982 and 2009.” With this information, sports like soccer and lacrosse are not as dangerous as cheerleading but yet are still considered sports. Some of these devastating injuries include “closed-head injuries, skull fractures and cervical spine injuries” (Bernstein). These injuries can happen in any sport but are more likely to happen in cheer. A flyer is raised in the air about six feet by three people, the bases and backspot, or sometimes one person. Also, the flyer is thrown in the air about ten feet in the air with the hopes of being caught. If not, fall from ten feet can cause catastrophic injuries. I have witnessed a flyer fall from just six feet in the air, which hurt her back and gave her a concussion. In order to prevent these types of injuries, cheerleaders must work extra hard to polish their techniques. Therefore, if injuries label something a sport, then cheerleading definitely …show more content…
Cheer squads compete against other teams with a routine consisting of stunting, tumbling, and dancing (Grindstaff and West 505). Even though Johnson and Sailor think athleticism is not enough to qualify something as a sport (259), I believe that it is. Cheerleaders must have the endurance to push through a two minute and thirty second routine. In order to build endurance, most cheerleaders spend hours in the gym outside of practice, which typically is about two or three hours a day. The conditioning in these practices are similar to basketball and football. It involves running miles, working out, and improving strength. If a cheerleader becomes tired a routine, they risk the safety of others on the team. The flyer is trusting that the bases and backspot under her are stronger enough to hold her up. As a former backspot, I understand what kind of athleticism is required to get and keep a flyer in the air. Grindstaff and West think it is more demanding because you are risking other people’s life (506). Unlike other sports, you cannot substitute someone in for someone who is tired. If a cheerleader is tired, the rest of the routine will suffer, ruining a cheer teams chance of winning. I have been a cheerleader and soccer player, and I know the pain and struggle of conditioning. The conditioning in cheer was as bad or maybe even worse than soccer. Therefore, because of the
Show More

Related Documents: Cheerleading Is A Sport

Is Cheerleading A Sport

Is Cheerleading really a sport? Cheerleading began as a form of protest as a more subtle way to gain independence. In the 1860’s, Students from Great Britain began to cheer and chant in unison for their favorite athletes at sports events. Soon the gesture of support spread across the globe. Organized Cheerleading started as an activity only for males. In 1923 at the University of Minnesota, women were allowed into cheerleading. Cheerleading should be considered a sport just like football . Cheerleading…

Words 354 - Pages 2

Cheerleading Is A Sport !

Cheerleading Is A Sport!! Hey! I am so tired of of people saying that cheerleading isn’t a sport! Well, it is. We do more than you all think we do. We work hard just like any other sport does. We work out and do a lot of other things just to make sure our body is fit and in shape. We travel around the world to compete in international competitions. Football and basketball players that that we don’t do enough, but we do. No, we don’t lift weights everyday. We lift other cheerleaders and…

Words 344 - Pages 2

Cheerleading Is Not A Sport

“Come on, ladies! One more time!” While many of my peers spent their summers by the pool, I spent a great deal of time in my school gym with fifty other girls. Let’s just say anyone who claims that cheerleading is not a sport has clearly never watched cheerleaders practice. For hours every week, I ran miles in the blazing heat, ran cheers so many times I could chant them in my sleep, and most importantly, bonded with my teammates. A special relationship is formed when you are the only thing stopping…

Words 396 - Pages 2

Cheerleading Is A Sport Essay

I believe cheerleading is a sport. I mean what else would it be classified as? You lift up people and you have to memorize a whole lot. So I’m in argument about cheerleading. Cheerleading is a sport! Cheerleaders deserve that respect. It was stated four years ago if cheerleading was a sport. By saying that it was ruled that competitive cheerleading is not a sport by a judge. Apparently cheerleading didn't meet the requirements. Which in my opinion is total bull. That judge has, had no reason to put…

Words 518 - Pages 3

Cheerleading Is Not A Sport Essay

Cheerleading as many do know is a very popular topic these days because different people have their own opinion. Their opinions vary from, "cheer is a sport because of how much hard work and effort cheerleaders put into their routines" or the side that says "cheerleading isn't a sport because it is not hard, anyone could easily do all that cheerleaders do, and cheer isn't even very competitive". The argument of this particular subject has been all over the news, sports shows and radio stations, social…

Words 674 - Pages 3

How Cheerleading Is A Sport

Cheerleading. When I say cheerleading, many people think of a stereotypical cheerleader who shakes her pom poms for the boys teams of their school, but in reality a real cheerleader is so much more than that. I’ve been a cheerleader for 12 years. I started cheerleading when I was just 6 years old, so I can tell you from personal experience that cheerleading is more than a sport. Anyone can say cheer is a sport or not, but I am going to tell you the facts on why it truly is. Cheerleading began as…

Words 1265 - Pages 6

Is Cheerleading A Sport Essay

Cheerleading Is Not Just Dressing Pretty Would you consider all the activities in the Olympics now to be a sport? Some of the activities in the Olympics do not fit all the criteria of being a sport. For example, some people could argue that activities such as sailing, track and field, and shooting are not sports because they do not fit all the criteria to be considered as a sport. Cheerleading is an activity that has been argued whether it is a sport or not for years. Three defining criteria of a…

Words 1471 - Pages 6

Cheerleading: An Olympic Sport

Cheerleading is one step closer to being a sport in the Olympics games. Back in 2016 cheerleading was recognized as a sport by the International Olympic committee. Now that the committee agrees with thousands of cheerleaders the next step for becoming an Olympic sport is apply to be in the games. However, cheerleading in to the Olympic games is no easy task. Because it takes time to be a part of the games you won’t be seeing cheerleading in the 2020 Olympic games but you could possibly see cheerleading…

Words 115 - Pages 1

Cheerleading: A Feminine Sport

Cheerleading, also known as one the feminine sport was created by a group of men. Accordingly to articles and reports, men were known to be more violent than women. Men however, have deeper voices and more or less stronger acts. November 2, 1898 the official birth date of organized cheerleading became a sport conversely (“Organized Cheer”). Sports as such, moreover is one of the many ways to have fun while exercising. Cheerleading was recognized as an independent sport, attracting national attention…

Words 152 - Pages 1

Is Cheerleading A Sport Essay

The Sport of Cheerleading When you hear the word “sport” what is the first thought that comes to mind. Football? Rugby? I’m sure cheerleading falls somewhere on the bottom if it even makes that list. What some people don’t realize is the amount of physical endurance that is needed. Cheerleaders are throwing girls 5-10 feet in the air and catching them with ease. The complex routines that are memorized and executed to look as if they are one swift motion. And while you may think that…

Words 920 - Pages 4