So, I've heard people say--mainly men--that cheerleading is not a sport. Somehow, I think that is 100% wrong. Cheerleading is as competitive as football, basketball, and any other sport--contact sport or not. Both girls and guys participate in the "sport" and they compete at national levels. It requires discipline. I definitely feel like it is a sport. What about the rest of you?
Cheerleading as a Sport
- Thread starter teg
- Start date
Personally I do consider cheerleading a sport. It's competitive physically and mentally, and it also requires quite an amount of skills. Some people don't see it as sports probably because it's usually a sideshow for half-time on certain sports, and also probably because it's too choreographed. But so is the synchronized swimming and that's even included in the Olympics. So yeah, I do think cheerleading is a sport.
KickBall4Square
Minors
It's a sport. There is athleticism involved. They have competitions where they go head to head with other schools. They're not always just sitting there cheering on other teams on the sidelines. It includes a lot of acrobatic moves in it.
Claraviolet
Just Drafted
Well, I hope I am not hurting anyone's feelings here. Anyway, I don't consider cheer-leading as a sport. For some reason, their impact isn't much(as far as I know anyway).
It is a good thing to cheer players but it is entirely another thing, considering that very cheering as a sport. This is just my opinion.
It is a good thing to cheer players but it is entirely another thing, considering that very cheering as a sport. This is just my opinion.
Shortie861
Just Drafted
It's a tough one because different people see it as different things. I personally see it as being a sport as it's competitive, you have the mental and physical side of things as well and if you are active it is classed as some kind of sport even if you are not being active kicking, hitting or throwing a ball around. Many do not see it as a sport purely because when you do see cheerleading it's usually just actions whilst cheering a team on but it does take a lot more than just that.
Lisa Davis
Minors
Competitive cheerleading is a sport. I have never been a cheerleader, but I have had people in my family that have cheered competitively. I thought it was hilarious when someone said they don't consider cheerleading a sport because the impact isn't as high as other sports. Those girls (and guys) do complicated pyramids, dance routines, and gymnastic acrobatic moves that require tremendous skill and are quite dangerous if you don't know what you are doing. Furthermore, I know three different students (two girls, one boy) that all got at least partial scholarships to prestigious universities for their participation in cheerleading. In fact, the boy's scholarship was a full-ride, including room and board, because male cheerleaders are so hard to come by, especially if they are particularly skilled.
I think it should be considered as a sport, as is an activity that demands an incredible amount of training an physical / acrobatic work, and also very high levels of concentration and skill from each one of the team members. People may consider it silly or cheesy, that's ok, and they may be right to a certain extent, but still, that doesn't make the points made previously any less valid.
Lisa Davis
Minors
I think some people consider cheerleading cheesy or silly because some schools don't treat it as the true sport that it is. I will say though I have seen some cheer leaders that have superb athleticism that other male athletes of the sports that they cheer for couldn't even come close to rivaling. If anyone still has doubts, they should watch some YouTube videos of competitive cheer competitions. It can get really intense and those athletes can get injured just like football players or any other sport.
If we trace the origin of Olympics in Greece, they consider [Olympics] as "putting the body to its limits." If that's the case, then cheerleading should be considered as a sport. It's never that easy to perform routines, with lifts, tosses, etc. It needs a lot of body strength, suppleness, and muscle coordination. You may also include that pleasing appearance/ personality when performing. In other words, it should be considered as a sport.
