By Jennie
Recently, a friend of mine reposted a news story on Facebook about a Federal Court ruling that a Connecticut university could not replace a women’s volleyball team with a cheerleading squad for the purposes of Title IX. My friend’s comment regarding the story he linked to was derisive – of course cheerleading wasn’t a sport. I didn’t think much about it at the time, though my general inclination was to agree with him, and to see the university’s actions as somewhat akin to government attempts to categorize ketchup as a vegetable in federal school lunch programs, kind of like, “Haha, yeah, nice try.”
But I’m nothing if not suggestible, so when I read an article on the ruling a couple of days later at Jezebel, I started to think about it some more. Is cheerleading a sport? What makes something a sport – how do you define it?
One of the arguments against including competitive cheerleading in the “sport” category is the same used to decry the inclusion of such sports as ice skating, ice dancing and gymnastics in the Olympic Games: victory is determined by judges’ scoring rather than by actual straight scoring of points as set out by the rules of each game (e.g. get the ball in the net, get the player across home plate, etc.). This adds an element of arbitrariness to the ranking of competitors (at least that’s the perception). Furthermore, the judging in these sports is often based at least partly on artistic elements, which further opens the gulf between these sports and something like football, where a touchdown as a touchdown, no matter how prettily it’s executed.
Looking around the internet at various attempts to define what makes a sport a sport, I was able to cobble together this:
1) A sport involves competition; participants must be competing to win, however the sport defines winning (scoring the most points or crossing the finish line first).
2) A sport requires a set of universally recognized rules. The rules governing most recognized sports are incredibly complex and byzantine, at least at higher levels of competition. I’ve watched baseball and football games where the commentators – supposed experts and often ex-players or coaches – get tripped up by bizarre or unusual plays and need an official ruling before they can tell the viewer just what’s going on.
3) Physical skill is required to be successful at sports – this is what would seem to truly separate “sports” from “games” to me. This one can get hazy though, because “physical skill” doesn’t necessary equal “physical fitness.” Some sports are decried as not being worthy of the name because top players can be, well, fat slobs. I don’t know much about professional bowling, but I doubt it’s a requirement that one be in peak physical condition to succeed. The same is true of golf, though most pro golfers do seem to be generally physical fit and somewhat athletic.
Certainly, by these definitions, gymnasts (even rhythmic gymnasts, though I find it a rather silly sport), divers, ice dancers and the like qualify as athletes. I’m not sure where to put synchronized swimmers. I guess I have to grudgingly consider it a sport, though it makes rhythmic gymnastics look like soccer on the legitimate-sport scale, in my opinion.
What about cheerleading? I definitely think competitive cheerleading does qualify. The routines that cheerleaders do on the sidelines at college football games, not so much. Even if you’re talking about the same cheerleaders, doing the same routines (though do they do the whole pyramid and backflips business at college football games? It seems like it’d be distracting), I don’t think they’d qualify because they aren’t fulfilling rule #1 above (and because they aren’t fulfilling rule #1, they aren’t truly fulfilling rule #2, either – it’s not like there are a set number of elements a cheerleading squad is required to do when they are cheering at games).
I guess there’s a larger issue about men, women, athletics and resources, but I don’t think this court ruling is going to have much effect on that one way or another. The fact is, college football and basketball are big business – as long as that’s the case, I think schools will only divert resources to less lucrative sports if they are forced to by law. Maybe, as some think, Title IX is antiquated and unequal to the job of creating some parity in the resources allotted to high school and college athletics.
What do you think? Do you consider cheerleading a sport? Are there other sports that you believe are unworthy of the name, and why?
I believe Cheerleading is a sport like anything else which is considered a sport. I was never a cheerleader but it takes a lot of work with practicing and most times you have to have a good foundation from very young like gymnastics, some form of dance and so on. You need to have agility, flexibility and need to be in shape to be a cheerleader and it goes beyond just cheering at football games, basketball and so on. Every year on ESPN they have national competitions of cheerleading. I have watched it in years so I don’t know if they show it any more and there used to be a reality show about a cheerleading team. It’s hard work and I think anyone who is involved with the sport would think it’s a Real sport.
Of course it is- it isn’t a game but it is a sport. Is competitive swimming a sport? Yes. Gymnastics? Yes. Olympic curling for crying out loud? Yes….
They train, practice, compete- it is a skill, often involving more gymnastics than “cheering”. I’m sure there are some squads that don’t delve into the sport side. If you’re just rhyming cheers and clapping your hands- not so sporty. But in high school and college- I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a squad that didn’t do more acrobatics/tossing/tumbling/hurtling through the air than actual cheering.
Interesting. I am inclined to agree with the others that it is a sport for the reasons you, Darlene and Samantha have listed.
That said, I understand the court’s ruling regarding replacing an established volleyball team with a cheerleading squad. I am not saying one is more important than another, but I do think there often aren’t as many opportunities for girls/young women to play in competitive game sports. I would want to hear all the “good reasons” for doing so before I could condone such an idea.
I worked in high schools for 21 years and one of my responsibilities was clearing athletes for participation in sports. Although our governing body for high school sports in California (CIF) did not classify cheerleading as a sport, our school district did. Our school district’s policy dictated that they meet the same requirements as any other athlete including a yearly physical and meeting grade requirements.
These squads stayed after school every day and put in the same time and commitment as any of the typical sports. The cheerleaders sustained as many injuries as other sports. They participated in competitions that were available. Most of these athletes were in great physical shape and some in even better shape than girls participating in other sports.
Yes, I think cheerleading should qualify as a sport. In my mind, more so than say – golf. Golf to me is not really a sport. It is more of a skill.
Just watch Penn and Tellers Bullshit and you will see this has to do only with MONEY., and not from where you think.
Interesting article Jennie. I can see understand why it wasn’t acceptable as a switch for the volleyball team, but I think it could be added as a sport. Cheerleading has changed since I was in High school. We used to “rah-rah” and do cartwheels, climb on each other’s shoulders and do our stances. Now, they do long routines,throw each other up in the air and require more gymnastic skills. I’m sure there are still schools where it’s just the “rah rah” type, but if it was classified as a sport w/requirements, it would bring up the bar. It would be nice for those who participate to get full credit for the risk and time it takes to participate. I don’t see this happening though.
Pam, lol golf not a sport. I think if I told my hubby golf isn’t a sport and just a skill he would make me walk all 18 holes and swing that club until I cried. Kidding aside. I’m not for golf but I think it’s a skilled sport.
Darlene,
I do think Golf is a sport- I guess, LOL. Yes it is most definitely a skill and one that I have never mastered and I know it is very competitive and people absolutely love it. I just have never understood why. 😉
Two of my daughters (ages 12 and 16) have been cheering competitvely for 6 years now. They are both in excellent shape and can do more situps and push ups than their male cousins who play football and basketball. They compete at 6 or 7 competitions a year and take their sport very seriously. They practice around 6 to 7 hours a week all year around. I think it is a sport.
I didn’t read one thing mentioned that I wouldn’t consider a sport. My dad has argued that the only sports that count are the ones where there is no subjective rulings as in cheeleading or ice skating. I disagree. Referees and umpires make mistakes, too.
I think cheeleading should replace volleyball. That whole Title IX rule bothers me, though.
I’m a cheerleader at my highschool. All of the senior cheerleaders told me that when they were freshmen, they weren’t required to tumble. But now it changed. For you who don’t think cheerleading is a sport…please take the time to look at some videos of cheerleaders. Cheerleaders aren’t all about “YAY GO TEAM LIKE OMG” no…nothing like that. Cheerleading takes time, skill, patience, and practice. The guy cheerleaders say that cheerleading is by far the hardest sport they have done because of the amount strength it takes. You definitely have to be in shape to be a cheerleader.
im a cheerleager and i love that stunt you have dun i makes me want to do it when i get better at it
hey do you thing cheerleading is a sport???
hi cheerleading yall look alsome one day i will become one yall look like our color black and gold well by talk to yall later.
p.s.nice routine
cheerleading is definetely a sport!
who’s with me?
No.
Cheerleading is a sport. I’ve been a competitive cheerleader since I was seven. If cheerleading wasn’t a sport. It wouldn’t be on ESPN. And before you say it’s not…Try it. I dare you.