7 Responses to “Cheerleading?”

1. Audrey J Says:
   February 4th, 2008 at 8:17 am

   Well! I’m a cheerleader and I didn’t think it was a sport at first. But we have practices CONSTANTLY and you have to practice at home and TRULY it is A LOT of hard work! That’s why I’m not doing it next year. But yeah, it’s a sport, don’t deny.

2. Caitlin xx Says:
   February 4th, 2008 at 8:54 pm

   Cheerleading takes just as much dedication and skill as any other sport, sometimes it takes more. The problem is that other athletes have no idea what it takes to be a cheerleader. We make it look so easy. We fly through the air with grace, we catch our teammates as though they are feathers floating from the sky. They don’t understand the technique and time it takes to master such skills. To us, cheerleading is not a game, like football or basketball, cheerleading is a way of LIFE. Cheerleading, more than any other sort, teaches important skills such as cooperating. Let’s face it, if a cheerleading squad can’t cooperate, stunts can’t hit and people get hurt. Other sports ENCOURAGE team cooperation, and they may lose a game if they fail to cooperate;. but overall, no one gets hurt. What does a “sport” have that we don’t? We practice, compete, have rules, go through training, sweat, fall, get hurt, and dedicate our lives to cheerleading…there is NO REASON why cheerleading should not be considered a sport.

3. thatsgranderful Says:
   February 7th, 2008 at 9:06 am

   well it is physical activity and they need to be in shape and all…but personally I dont feel that its like a sport because like they (I dont know) dont act like it is…

4. *****maddi***** Says:
   February 9th, 2008 at 4:41 am

   I used to be a cheerleader and i think that what makes it a sport is the fact that you practice a lot, You do a lot of physical activity other than cheers and stunts like lots of push-ups, sit-ups, crunches, etc. Cheerleading like many other sports takes a tremendous amount of teamwork. I was on a team once that could not get along for anything and we got last place in just about every competition. The one thing I noticed about the winning teams is that they worked very well as a team. anyway, getting back on suject, cheerleaders also need to be strong,fast, and flexible. Do you think we could throw stunts, do backflips, and dance if we werent? It also takes a lot of commitment and discipline. I think that if people that dont think cheerleading is a sport did cheerleading or at least went to a couple of practices it would change their minds completely.

5. zoidgirl0905 Says:
   February 12th, 2008 at 1:23 am

   u have 2 jump around,do push-ups…so on

6. Irene Says:
   February 15th, 2008 at 10:59 am

   The amount of energy the put forth!
   how they are constantly in motion!
   every member of the team all
   at once
   i would like to see you bust a triple
   back in to a round of back turn front
   hand spring then down to a split!!
   cheer is one of the hardest sports out
   there!

7. Shanna Marie Says:
   February 18th, 2008 at 8:26 am

   Definition of a Sport

   In a dictionary you may find the word “sport” defined as a “physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively.” It is the last part of the definition “engaged in competitively” that makes considering cheerleading a sport difficult. According to the Women’s Sports Foundation the following criteria has to be met to be considered a sport:

   -A physical activity which involves propelling a mass through space or overcoming the resistance of a mass
   -A contest or competition against or with an opponent
   Is governed by rules which explicitly define the time, space and purpose of the contest and the conditions under which a winner is declared
   -The acknowledged primary purpose of the competition is a comparison of the relative skills of the participants

   We have all heard the opinion that cheerleading is not a sport. The fact that we don’t tackle our opponents to the ground for a ball does NOT mean that we are not athletes. We work just as hard as “real athletes” work. Our practices are just as intense and our competitions are even more intense then a basketball or football game. Our sport, unlike most, is not a selfish one. Part of being on a cheerleading squad is appreciating and cheering on our fellow athletes. The same athletes that insult OUR sport. What is it that qualifies an activity to be a sport? Is it the ball? No, wrestling is a sport and it doesn’t contain a ball. Is it the sweat? Can’t be the sweat, cheerleaders sweat just as much (but we hide it well!) Is it the practice? Nope, our practices are more intense than many other sports’ practices. The audience? No, can’t be that either, audiences at competitions out number those at many ball games! So WHAT is it?! Cheerleading takes just as much dedication and skill as any other sport, sometimes it takes more. The problem is that other athletes have no idea what it takes to be a cheerleader. We make it look so easy. We fly through the air with grace, we catch our teammates as though they are feathers floating from the sky. We throw tumbling passes that most people could barley dream of. They don’t understand the technique and time it takes to master such skills. To us, cheerleading is not a game, like football or basketball, cheerleading is a way of LIFE. Cheerleading, more than any other sort, teaches important skills such as cooperating. Let’s face it, if a cheerleading squad can’t cooperate, stunts can’t hit and people get hurt. Other sports ENCOURAGE team cooperation, and they may lose a game if they fail to cooperate;. but overall, no one gets hurt. What does a “sport” have that we don’t? We practice, compete, have rules, go through training, sweat, fall, get hurt, and dedicate our lives to cheerleading…there is NO REASON why cheerleading should not be considered a sport.

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