Cheerleading a sport or nah? Let's hear what you think.?

[PrinceSoren]

Personally, I DO think that cheerleading is a sport. Especially when playing basketball and seeing what they do from the sidelines and for their halftime shows as well as when I attend other sporting events. It takes strength, durability, flexibility like whoa and mental toughness just like anything else. So what do you all think, sport or no?

Give me a Y-E-S

Booo!

[kheserthorpe]

I would say it is an athletic performance. I realize it can be judged, but I probably wouldn't classify it as a sport in my mind. That's not a knock on cheerleaders, their dedication or their athleticism. I'm not sure what the obsession with competition is in some fields that aren't naturally competitive. My daughter did dance for a few years, and dropped out, but some of her old friends are dedicated to the comp dance circuit. I guess they enjoy it, but I shake my head. Ballet is not a sport, and I say that recognizing professional ballet dancers are -incredible- athletes.

Chearleading, like other dance forms, shouldn't feel the need to focus on judging. Its primary purpose should be artistic.

[JohnB1]

Hell No cheerleading is not a sport. But it can be a competition. Cheerleading is a form of interpretive dance and performing art rather than sport. There are athletic moves in Hip-Hop, Broadway Play, Modern Dance, and Ballet, but they Are Not considered sports either. Cheeleading is performing arts with a popularity contest and beauty contest wrapped in.

The MAIN Difference is that Cheerleading is rehearsed and scripted, SPORTS IS NOT SCRIPTED and nobody knows what will happen. I used to deal with this debate when I played sports in College and High School.

[PrinceSoren]

Oooh. I like that scripted part. That's an enlightenment moment. I can totally see your argument as justifiable by that point. Very astute sir bro.

[JohnB1]

Thanks! In sports the outcome is never scripted and your don't what is going to happen as a player or fan. Also sports are solely designed to competing. Cheerleading, the outcome is scripted and the cheerleaders and coaches know exactly what is going to happen along the way. Most of the time, you are not competing against another school in cheerleading. Cheereading really wasn't designed for competition. Its scripted entertainment.

[PrinceSoren]

I get it up to the point of "knowing what's going to happen." Like I do mostly agree with you, don't get me wrong but every good team has a play book. So knowing the routine of the other squad or the jist of it is relevant I think. It's just like watching film on the opposing team. That way you can prepare your team as best as possible in how to handle it. The greats though will usually find a way to overcome that. Haha

[Anonymous]

i think NOT. i see it as more of a competitive performance. saying cheerleading is a sport is like saying weight lifting, ice skating or gymnastics is a sport and thats not how i see it. I used to be a cheerleader and god was i miserable. sure it takes athletic ability but that doesn't mean its a sport. I play softball now and its waaaayyy better. and dont say "well cheerleading is in the olympics" cuz fricken ping pong is in the olympics and softball isn't (which pisses me off) but nonetheless, i dont see that as a valid argument and i definitely dont consider cheerleading to be a sport.

[PrinceSoren]

I think what this comes down to is being objective. Jousting=sport, Archery=sport, Lion Fighting=sport. All debateable right?

[Opinion Owner]

i suppose so. i dont consider those to be sports either

[PrinceSoren]

Haha Exactly. Yet there they are. Hehe

[Opinion Owner]

well.. its definitely a hot debateable topic haha i dont think those are sports at all!

[PrinceSoren]

Haha Definitely debatable and a hot topic. It's interesting to see differing point of views. (:

[Opinion Owner]

haha yeah it is

[PrinceSoren]

(: Thenks for being cool about this. (:

[Opinion Owner]

no problem! everyone has their own opinions!

[PrinceSoren]

Hehe Mhm. Do you do any sports?

[Opinion Owner]

yeah i play softball

[PrinceSoren]

Nice. What position?

[Opinion Owner]

pitcher and 3rd. but sometimes ill play short stop!

[PrinceSoren]

Really? You're pretty much all around. Well infield at least. Those are pretty crucial positions.

[Opinion Owner]

yeah i know haha im able to play every position (catcher included) but those are my main 3. and i dont play outfield anymore because i almost tore my rotater cuff a couple times so i have to be careful with my throwing haha

[PrinceSoren]

So then pitcher and catcher must be difficult at times too huh?

[Opinion Owner]

catching is hard when i have to throw down to second but other than that its fine but pitching never hurts my arm. i think its because its a more natural movement than throwing over hand! the only time itll hurt is when i haven't pitched in a while but thats just tender muscle and has nothing to do with my rotator cuff

[PrinceSoren]

I forgot that you all pitch underhand. >.< You're right, I wasn't thinking. Which out of the three is your favorite position?

[Opinion Owner]

haha no worries! i loooove pitching but lately I've really been enjoying 3rd. it depends on the day haha

[PrinceSoren]

Haha What's the advantage of being on third to you? It seems like there is a pretty good amount of action there. Maybe more at shortstop but still, a good amount.

[Opinion Owner]

haha well probably 85% of people hit on the 3rd base side of the field so there's a lot of action there!

[PrinceSoren]

Well see I was wrong. Haha There you go! 'Nd your base is the most crucial.

[Opinion Owner]

haha yep! gotta make sure they dont score

[PrinceSoren]

What's a favorite memory of yours out on the diamond?

[Opinion Owner]

hmmm.. well considering I've played for 11 years now, there's a lot of memories hahaha but i really enjoyed playing at my old high school! well i really hated it but i had my group of 5-10 friends and we all hated it so we stuck together and had a blast despite the dumbass coaches and the other spoiled, slutty players hahahaha

[PrinceSoren]

Did you hate it because you all weren't good or because of the personnel on your team?

[Opinion Owner]

no we were good! we were all first string players and played every game. the coaches (except for one) were stupid and made us work out more than practice on the field. when we were on the field, 90% of the time they would have us start doing plays and throwing and they wouldn't even let us stretch our arms which is why my shoulder is now effed up. and the girls were such brats omg. we had like 3 or 4 pitching mounds in the bullpen and one girl that i hate in particular ran off and told the coaches that someone (my friend) took her mound. like bitch you dont own that mound. we got there first so you can find another one. so then the coach came over and yelled at my friend for doing that but my friend started yelling back and told her off and it was really funny :) haha. some of the freshman girls even started crying because they made the JV team and not Varsity. i mean seriously? be happy you made it on JV in the first place and aren't on the freshman team where you should be!

[PrinceSoren]

Hahaha Oh man. Sounds like you are right, there was a lot of drama. Are you a senior this year or did your senior year just end? That's kind of petty about the mound, were there other mounds available. You said "run plays". What kind of plays do you all run?

[Opinion Owner]

yeah there was haha it was stupid. and im going to be a senior this year! about the mounds, we had about 6 mounds and there were 5 pitchers. so that girl was just being a cunt hahaha she just wanted that particular mound because thats the one she had been using! as far as plays, they were just situations. like runners on this and that base which would determine where we made the play based on where the ball was hit (and the coaches would hit to every position so we all knew where to go with every scenario) and then we would practice throw downs, bunts, cut offs, and pickles. but my favorite one was when there is a runner at 3rd, trying to steal home and a runner on 1st: the other team will have the girl at 1st steal second and our catcher would throw down towards 2nd just to get the girl at 3rd to run home but then short stop will cut off the throw and then throw it back home and get the girl from 3rd out. hahaha i liked that one cuz i played ss at that time so yeah hahaha

[PrinceSoren]

Yeah, that was pretty petty. Haha Who ended up getting their way? I like that play! It's pretty tricky and of course you got action. Not bad at all! Did you all ever get to try it out in game play?

[Opinion Owner]

well after my friend yelled and told off the coach, she (the coach) left and the girl went to the bullpen on the other side of the field and pitched so i guess we got our way! and yeah we did that play a few times through out the season... it worked too! haha pretty crazy

[PrinceSoren]

Ah, well that girl has to learn everything doesn't go your way. So your coaches are somewhat smart. Haha Actually to think up that play is pretty brilliant. Plus the individuals have to be pretty talented to pull it off. (:

[PrinceSoren]

If you wanna message me, you can do that too. Haha It might be a little easier.

[Opinion Owner]

well its just the one coach that does it haha and he was the best one. he hated the other coaches too! he was offered to move up and be a Varsity coach but he doent like any of the other ones he'd be working with so he stays at JV! and yeah it took a little practice but we got it down!
and ill message you!

[sophicx]

Yes, I used to be a cheerleader, and it was definitely a sport. It caused me to get off my ass, exercise, go to championships and stuff. And Not everyone is suitable to be one, lol. It is pretty dangerous too, because some of the stunts could get people injured. Overall, I would definitely say it is a sport! If you don't believe me, try being a cheerleader! :]

[PrinceSoren]

Nah. I definitely believe you. I know a lot of cheerleaders and I see what they go through and you all are definitely athletes! Without a doubt. If I had a hat on, I'd tip it to you. :P

[Macysue29]

YES! This is now my 10th year cheerleading, and it is most definetley a sport! I've actually done some research, and it is the most dangerous sport, because of all the injuries it causes.

I myself have been hurt more times cheerleading, than anything else, but I still love it!

[PrinceSoren]

Wow. That's dedication. I didn't know that it was the most dangerous though. You all are crazy athletic. 'Nd so many of you do dual activities like gymnastics, dance and cheerleading. Which to me is like a mix of both.

[virginguru]

parts of cheerleading could be considered a sport but other parts are not. Cheering isn't a sport, but the acrobats involved in cheerleading are a sport. With this in mind not all highschool/middleschool cheerleading squads do acrobatics; in this case they can't be considered sports.

[PrinceSoren]

Right. Competitive cheer I should have stated. If so, then sports moms would be considered athletes too. :P

[kelly173815]

Yes! I'm a cheerleader, and it is so exhausting and painful to do all that stuff, we get broken blood vessels on our hands from being bases and my shoulders are constantly sore! I'd would say that anything that can be competed in is considered a sport, even chess, which may not be sport heavy, but you need concentration and to be able to think and plan ahead

[PrinceSoren]

Ooh. I hadn't thought about the bases. Wow, yeah. You kind of build up a tolerance for that though huh?

[kelly173815]

Yeah slowly! you have to really build up your strength in your back and shoulders cause you can easily injure yourself, and the hand thing is the worst :/ cause you can't really stop it, unless you wear gloves, which you aren't allowed in competitions

[PrinceSoren]

Do you think someday they'll allow the use of gloves?

[kelly173815]

probably not! the whole thing is supposed to look effortless and we are supposed to look perfect at all times, smiling big while we hold, throw and catch human beings. I think the use of gloves would probably ruin it. (although this is in Australia, we don't really do the high school cheerleading thing at games (mainly because we don't really have football games) so it's mostly all girls who do it, I don't know any team that has any male cheerleaders to help with lifting/throwing that kind of thing, so the whole hand thing may not worry the males as much as us females

[kelly173815]

we aren't even allowed to wear jewellery, because it shines and creates to much attention (besides from the dangerous it being ripped out thing)

[PrinceSoren]

I think the jewelry is a big nono but the gloves, it is about self preservation. There's a life after all sports whether you're a professional or not. That's just like the padding that football players used to not wear. Or the mask-less helmets that hockey players used to not wear. A basketball player playing without pads or even volleyball for that matter. Those used to not be in affect but after people who stopped playing the sports got tired of their ailments and stood up for future generations, those things changed. Maybe it will for your sport too. Presentation is cool but so is a healthy life. (:

[kelly173815]

hopefully it will i the future - but i doubt it will change while im still a cheerleader unfortunately :(

[PrinceSoren]

Shucks. :/ Well you never know. (: How far in cheerleading do you want to go?

[kelly173815]

Well we are starting competitions this year so I suppose as long as I still live in the area and can afford it :)

[PrinceSoren]

Oh shucks...how expensive is cheerleading? I hear it's up there.

[kelly173815]

It's $20 every time we train, competition fees are between $70 - $150 each time, the uniform, well ours is only costing $130 because we are all students and are two poor to pay for the $500 main uniform. Shoes cost $150 and they wear out easily. Choreographer for each routine was $50 each. It all adds up :/ and it isn't even very big, here in Australia, I'm sure it costs more in America

[PrinceSoren]

Shucks! You're right. Wow...can you all get sponsors or anything like that?

[kelly173815]

I have no idea :/ I don't think anyone would sponser us anyway because we are just a team at a gymnastics club, maybe university teams would get sponsered?

[PrinceSoren]

You never know. If you all show potential then people might be interested. It would definitely help with the costs.

[kelly173815]

maybe, I suppose! it would definitely helpful

[PrinceSoren]

If I was wealthy, I would sponsor you. (:

[kelly173815]

Aww thanks :) I would definitely appreciate it!

[PrinceSoren]

Hehe You're most welcome. It would be fun to see what you all could do on a fair playing field.

[Phoenix98]

Its more of a sport then say golfing it is by far not easy to do I imagine since most people that do it are pretty fit. I personally do not consider it a sport on its own like basketball or football but maybe like a supporting sport since cheerleaders are important for most major sports.

[PrinceSoren]

SUPER important. They can help change they dynamics of a match in an instant. They are always the ones that believe in you.

[Phoenix98]

Mmmhm.

[Phoenix98]

Cheer leaders are like the military psi ops but for sports bolstering the teams moral while diminishing the other teams.

[PrinceSoren]

Wow...it seems so studly when you say it that way. Haha

[Phoenix98]

Lol.

[WhiteSteve]

I think so, at least the competitive stuff. I don't know about the girls that just do cheers at high school football games, but the ones who do all that crazy acrobatic shit are 100% athletes in my mind.

[PrinceSoren]

Competitive stuff, definitely. The girls at my school are pretty legit but there are some who are just there for the cosmetics of it all.

[Anonymous]

Sideline cheerleading is not a sport. Competitive cheerleading is a sport.

A sport is defined as: "an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment." - if it meets these requirements, which competitive cheerleading does, then it is a sport.

[Opinion Owner]

Also, when you date a cheerleader, and the girl you're dating is on a team that has won nationals and she has gone on to Beijing, China to compete for the world champions... You know damn well it's a sport. haha

[PrinceSoren]

Totally agree. Here's a curveball. What if during the course of sideline cheerleading the opposing cheerleading squads begin to have an in game battle from the sidelines? Does it transition to a sport then? XD

[Opinion Owner]

You can always make a sport out of anything, but that would not define it in a general sense.Overall, sideline cheering is not a sport, but you can always make a sport out of it. But then it no longer is sideline cheering, but rather competitive cheering that involves a sideline

Here's an example. Running is not a sport. However, cross country is a sport. If I were to go for a run, I'm not doing a sport, but while I'm running if someone comes up to me while I'm running and says, "okay, how about we see who's the fastest... First one to reach (picks destination) is the winner, and we will start once we get up to this intersection up ahead, you down?" And if I accept, then we are making a sport out of it, but the activity of running in and of itself would not be a sport. Overall, running is not a sport, but you can always make a sport out of it. But then it no longer becomes running but rather a race that involves running.

[PrinceSoren]

Haha I get the logistics of what you're saying. It seems like technically most things are pending between the sport and non sport and the simple switch of one or two attributes make it a sport. Haha

[Opinion Owner]

Eh, Kind of. the simple switch of one or two attributes can make the activity that you're doing into a sport, but that won't make the activity itself a sport... Then there's organized sports and unorganized sports. unorganized is what I was just referring to with changing a thing or two and making it into a sport, and then there is organized sport like basketball, football, baseball, where there are a set of rules that are followed universally. There's a phrase that is very common where I'm from and I would assume it's common in most English speaking area... the phrase is, Hey, let's make a sport out of it." Which is taking an activity, creating competition and entertainment.

So, let's say you and I have trash clean up duty at a park. That's a boring thing to do, so we decide to make a sport out of it by coming up with a set of rules. The most that can pick up the most in 1 hour is the winner. Picking up trash isn't a sport, but you can always make a sport out of it.

[Opinion Owner]

The one that can pick up the most*

[PrinceSoren]

I get that. But I think whether we consider cheerleading a sport or not; it's still organized. They have a coach, uniforms, tram structure, schedules for games or to compete, travel accommodations (most) so on and so forth. That's just another form of formalities though. I do believe that you can make a sport out if pretty much any mundane task, as you do. I also think they the rules of what is and what isn't a sport will forever be changing because of...well topics like this. Haha

[Opinion Owner]

Well, there is a definition of sports used in the dictionary. Whether or not it's organized is irrelevant. As long as it's an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment then it is a sport. I don't think the definition of sports will change or continue to change just because there are people ignorant of what classifies as a sport. Some people, in their own minds, may decide what they, themselves, consider a sport, but our opinions on what is and is not a sport aren't relevant unless it's backed up by the definition. And I don't see that definition changing. The only thing I can see changing is peoples interpretation of what constitutes physical exertion. Cheerleading is obvious, but something like video-gaming for professional gamers, or something like chess. Some people may not consider them a sport because they don't consider there is any physical exertion while some others would argue there is.

[PrinceSoren]

Well the latter two examples definitely have more of a mental challenge than anything else. So, if there is a such thing as a mental sport, then yes; those would fit right in. Haha I don't think that many would dispute otherwise. Chess/checkers are far displaced from cheerleading however. Haha If the definition of sports did change it wouldn't be the first time that a word in the English language has done so. Take the word "nice" for instance. That's semantics though. I definitely feel as though competitive cheerleading is sliding it's way more and more into the realm of "sports". It shares too many of the same attributes as other sports. The only majority difference is that it's female dominated and as such would be just about the first female dominated sport that we would have.

[Red_Dragon]

Is Yoga a sport? Is Zumba a sport? Just because it has something to do with athletics doesn't make it a sport.

[PrinceSoren]

They have competitions. When's the last time you've seen a Zumba or yoga competition? Go ahead, I'll wait...

[Red_Dragon]

Ahhhhh someone should do some research. Cheer-leading is a form of athletics. It's not a sport.

[PrinceSoren]

Respectively, that makes no sense. Everything is objective until a group votes on it and it changes. I do agree that it is a form of athletics but how is it not a sport? Research or not, there is more interaction, competitiveness and skill in cheerleading than ping pong, golf, bowling, shuffle board...and I've done all of those sports, so yes; I do know what it takes to be successful at them.

[Red_Dragon]

"Research or not, there is more interaction, competitiveness and skill in cheerleading than ping pong, golf, bowling, shuffle board"

That's based on opinion. What's classified as a sport isn't.

[Red_Dragon]

Or I guess it is but it's based on the opinion of select people.

[PrinceSoren]

So the opinions of a select view automatically trump that of an opinion by an equally if not more so logical and objective singular?

[Red_Dragon]

It's all opinions to be honest.

[PrinceSoren]

My point. (: haha

[Red_Dragon]

Your point to me was that because cheerleading has competitions and a lot of interaction that makes it a sport. Nah it doesn't.

[PrinceSoren]

You see a mandarin orange and I see tangerine. We're both coming up with the same conclusion but the intricacies are where we differ.

[Camifunkyballet]

Heck yes im a cheerleader right now and it is hard all that training and working on your flexiblity is tiring and you have to wear short uniforms even when it is cold and raining... i think it is totally a sport

[PrinceSoren]

The short uniforms are the exception but everything else I agree wholeheartedly. You all are tough and that's no lie. Especially the ones that take it seriously like you do.

[CommieDearest]

If golf is a sport, cheer leading is a sport. A lot of it has to do with gymnastics and stuff, I would say for all intents and purposes it probably is.

[PrinceSoren]

That's my mentality too. It's too physically involved to not be a sport.

[Anonymous]

No, I don't consider it a sport. I consider a sport an athletic contest that people pay money to exclusively see.

It requires fitness and such but I've never seen an event specifically dedicated to cheerleading in the same sense that football, running, soccer etc has been.

Cheerleading events tend to be privately held functions in the same way that a science fiction convention would be run.

[1cubby1]

Holy hell. Those bitches are flyin in the air, being tossed like stiff rag dolls. Cheerleading is def a sport. So much athleticism & technique. Props for cheerleaders.

[PrinceSoren]

Hahaha That's quite the description but I do agree. It takes SO much skill, athleticism and the and putting those two together isn't the easiest thing in the world to do.

[Metal189]

the only state that has officially rules high school cheerleading a sport, is new york. all other high schools, it's not considered a sport, at least when it comes to high school, i dont know about college or below high school

[Metal189]

ruled*

[PrinceSoren]

Maybe it's on it's way to changing America's mind as far as becoming a sport?

[Metal189]

well, if states are allowing gay marriages, why not legalize cheerleading as a sport, yes?

[PrinceSoren]

Touché.

[llorando]

Yes it is, it's way more of a sport than golf is. With golf your just standing their swinging a club and riding a golf cart to the next hole where cheerleading your actually moving around quite a bit working up a sweat.

[PrinceSoren]

Hahaha Hey now, my GranDaddy golfs and he's 75! Haha It's a sport to him. I get what you're saying though, definitely more of a contact sport.

[llorando]

I'm not saying golf isn't a sport, just that cheerleading is more of a physical sport.

[PrinceSoren]

No, no. I totally get you. I was just kidding with you. Cheerleading definitely triumphs over golf in that aspect.

[SaVes]

Anything that requires physical effort and mechanical skills is a sport.

[PrinceSoren]

Same thinking. Exactly. (:

[lace1228]

Yes, especially competitive because it takes a lot of skill and practice. It is apart of summer Olympics after all.

[PrinceSoren]

See? I didn't know that, when did that happen?

[lace1228]

Since 1896

en.m.wikipedia.org/.../Gymnastics_at_the_Summer_Olympics

[lace1228]

Opps sorry I was thinking gymnastics. However I still think competitive cheerleading is a sport

[PrinceSoren]

Hahaha Okay, I was gunna say... Good deal though. Cheerleading will probably be in there soon.

[Sex_Panther]

Dancing and acrobatics/gymnastics are sports. I rest my case.

[PrinceSoren]

Exactly! Exactly. (:

[_______SE7EN_______]

You obviously never been in bed with a cheerleader... you damn right it's a sport and the are well tuned athlete's

[PrinceSoren]

Hahaha XD No, no I have not. Haha

[Blueeyes81]

I suppose to what extent they do throws, jumps, flips, routines. At my high school they just smiled and made jazz hands. That wasn't a sport in my eyes.

[PrinceSoren]

Hahahahahaha! Jazz hands! XD Well
Shucks. No, that is not very competitive at all.

[poppunk]

Yes it requires soooo much physical activity so yes

[Metal189]

guessing you're one yourself. the only state that has legalized high school cheerleading as a sport, is new york. every other state still doesn't consider h.s. cheerleading a sport. i dk about college, just high school. pro probably isn't either since they dont do tumbling

[poppunk]

No I'm not I wish I could. My best friends a cheerleader and it takes so much work even for her and she's super athletic.

[PrinceSoren]

The definition of sports are so subjective. It's a form of competition. Cheerleading isn't a sport but hunting is? I think that's pretty misleading right there. Competitive cheer has too many similar factors as other "sports" to be dismissed as one That is not. Poppunk, what sport do you play?

[poppunk]

I do color guard which is similar to a form of dance combined with baton twirling but that's all I do at the moment.

[PrinceSoren]

I know what coulour guard is. (; I've been to a few marching band shows and have seen you all in action. It gets pretty intense for you all too! How do you like it?

[Izzy2102]

Of course it's a sport, they do some intense things. it takes a lot of athletic ability

[PrinceSoren]

That's what I think too. I'm not sure how sports are characterized but I'm more than positive cheerleading fits the criteria.