Cheerleading – Is it a sport?

Hi Char,

Yes, I think Cheerleading is a sport. Perhaps you’ve seen on So Sioux Me that I have some personal issues with cheerleading. But, I definately can respect it as a competitive sport. I do think it has some image problems as a sport though.

It’s an issue for me that cheerleaders seemed to cheer only for boys teams – never have seen a pack of boys in tight shorts bouncing around at a girls basketball game.

I can definately trace my own issues back to my own high school days when I was not the type of girl who would have been a cheerleader. (Nor did I have those athetic skills.)

My daughter might be that type of girl though. She lives in East Texas and so is drawn to it. So I’m struggling to be more open-minded to cheerleading as an acceptable sport. I’m trying to let go of the compartmentalizing I have that combines “mean girls” and popularity contests with cheerleading as a sport. I still prefer soccer, as I wrote over at So Sioux Me today http://traceesioux.blogspot.com/2007/08/happy-feet-beats-bratz.html.

And, I did let my daughter do a brief cheerleading camp, as I wrote in this article about this issue http://traceesioux.blogspot.com/2007/07/give-me-a.html

I hestate to go let her participate more since I think, especially in Texas, it can become an exhaustively expensive sport with monthly fees and costumes and competitions, where soccer costs about $35 a season. A much more democratic sport.

Tracee Sioux
So Sioux Me
Empower Your Self
Empower Your Daughter
http://www.sosiouxme.com

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I think Cheerleading is a sport. I was never the cheerleading type. I played basketball and volleyball and at least half of our cheerleaders also partipated in sports. They worked hard and they actually cheered for both guys and girl teams in my school. We lived in Central Texas. Sports teams/individuals have lots of image problems as well, but that doesn’t keep people from saying they are in a sport.

My opinion is that cheerleading in its intended form is not a sport. Instead it is an integral part of the fan support of the actual sport being played. In basketball, they refer to this fan support as the all important 6th man. There are 5 players on the court at any one time, and the metaphorical 6th player is the home court advantage that comes from the crowd support, which sometimes can make a huge difference in the outcome of the game. And good cheerleaders that know the game, and know the right times to get the crowd to yell, and the best ways to get the crowd to yell, help to optimize that 6th man experience and are a valuable part of the game. But having said that, I do believe that cheerleading has moved out of its original intent, and is now more about gymnastics and stunts and dance and a sideline show that takes advantage of a crowd that gathers to watch whatever sport is being played. When the cheerleaders go to their cheerleading competitions, and they compete against a set of predefined rules and criteria, then of course it’s a sport. However, it would be interesting to see if their is a way to combine these two seemingly different objectives. Maybe there could be some type of referee that judges what the cheerleaders do at each of their games to get their crowd involved, and have some type of objective score card for the 6th man effect. My hunch is that many of the cheerleaders would lose interest in this because the fact is that there are a lot of these cheerleaders that are just in it for the attention and the more old fashioned “mean girl” side of the sport, but it would be interesting.

I think it would be very cool. I am in to modeling and
cheerleading!Cheerleading is more of mean girl side of
the sport,it would be very ineresting.what is it like
to be a cheerleader? I want to know.Cheerleading is a sport realy.

I am a cheerleader and after cheering at basketball and football I have noticed the difference. For teams that come to our school with only a student section and no cheerleaders from my experience are not as loud or as into the game and the players do respond to the crowd, players hear the cheers and it reminds them that they have a whole gym or stadium full of support.

It is always interesting to hear the perception of “women”
when they talk about cheerleading and sports. I to am from
Texas(Arlington) I have two girls who both were in cheerleading both in school and competive. The older one chose to give up the competive squad and focus on sports where she became an 1st team all-district in 3 sports and her senior year played on the boys baseball team. In addition she played select soccer and AAU basketball. The younger one started cheerleading when she was 9 and was on a squad who won consistently won 3 major national competions. And two world titles. I have to say that for the most part high school cheerleaders only want to be seen and be “popular”. School cheerleading is considered a sport in AISD and falls under the rules of the athletic dept. Competive cheerleading is a whole different ballgame.The demands are so much greater in all aspects. Our cheer club squads all the same practice outfits and they wore them on the same day. Here the girls worked hard when they were at practice and all got along. It was the parents (both moms and dads) who created the dramma, which the head coaches did not tolerate and would close practices to spectators. So when you think of cheerleaders just realize there are two different styles. And yes competitive cheerleading is expensive but know more than select soccer, AAU basketball, or club baseball. And remember it is not what you get out of the activity but what the child gets. The benefits far outway the costs. Besides the organized sports keep them out of trouble, teaches them team concept, work ethic, is good for their health. However, parents, make sure your child is doing the sport because THEY want to. Don’t make the mistake of living your live through your child. Not cool.

ve. I HAVE TWO GIRLS W