Battle of the Sexes: Cheerleading
The skirt deserves respect
Lauren Staten
Issue date: 10/14/09 Section: The Edge
Many people debate whether cheerleading is a sport or not. Most I've talked to believe that it isn't; however, I have some pretty strong convictions that it most certainly is a sport.
There must be certain criteria that make an activity a sport. Not all of them require a ball and a net, such as wrestling or horseback riding for example. Physical endurance, competitiveness, skill, execution and perhaps even injuries could be considered aspects of any given sport, but because cheerleaders simply prance around and spout off cute lines they can't be taken seriously?
In grade school, I was never really friends with the cheerleaders, but I didn't hold them to the esteem that movies do, portraying cheerleaders as queen bees. Cheerleading at the high school and college level is a different story. College cheerleaders actually compete at countrywide events, proving to be more than just a bunch of girls dancing around in short skirts yelling "Go team!" for the purpose of amusement at football and basketball games.
While other athletes throw balls around and swing bats, these competitors toss people up to 30 feet in the air, create giant human pyramids and do complicated flips and twists in the air, trusting other individuals to catch them. Women in the sport are especially required to be in top shape and have to engage in rigorous training and practice that is more intense than that of dancers and gymnasts combined.
This sport itself is a combination of gymnastic tumbling, flips and cartwheels mixed with dancing and performing stunts and cheers. What other sport is there that requires such discipline and training in several different areas of the competition? Most athletes focus on one or two main aspects of a sport and train just to improve those areas. Competitive cheerleaders have to be trained thoroughly both mentally and physically for this high-impact, demanding sport.
The most shocking thing about cheerleading is how dangerous it is. Over 66 percent of major college sports injuries, and 65 percent in high school, are attributed to cheerleading mishaps. In other words, the so-called bimbos are facing more pain than the athletes in the sports they cheer for.
Most of all, it is the dedication of these athletes that make one consider cheerleading a sport. Cheerleaders have to work together in a tight-knit fashion to make each stunt safe and successful. Each motion and tumble must be synchronized in competition, and their movements are judged harshly. If even one element or one person's movements are off, not only can the team suffer in style and technique, but the safety of the members is put at stake.
The way I see it, these girls (and guys) can simply rock on, wear their cute uniforms, and if people discredit them as not being athletes, kick 'em in the face.
There must be certain criteria that make an activity a sport. Not all of them require a ball and a net, such as wrestling or horseback riding for example. Physical endurance, competitiveness, skill, execution and perhaps even injuries could be considered aspects of any given sport, but because cheerleaders simply prance around and spout off cute lines they can't be taken seriously?
In grade school, I was never really friends with the cheerleaders, but I didn't hold them to the esteem that movies do, portraying cheerleaders as queen bees. Cheerleading at the high school and college level is a different story. College cheerleaders actually compete at countrywide events, proving to be more than just a bunch of girls dancing around in short skirts yelling "Go team!" for the purpose of amusement at football and basketball games.
While other athletes throw balls around and swing bats, these competitors toss people up to 30 feet in the air, create giant human pyramids and do complicated flips and twists in the air, trusting other individuals to catch them. Women in the sport are especially required to be in top shape and have to engage in rigorous training and practice that is more intense than that of dancers and gymnasts combined.
This sport itself is a combination of gymnastic tumbling, flips and cartwheels mixed with dancing and performing stunts and cheers. What other sport is there that requires such discipline and training in several different areas of the competition? Most athletes focus on one or two main aspects of a sport and train just to improve those areas. Competitive cheerleaders have to be trained thoroughly both mentally and physically for this high-impact, demanding sport.
The most shocking thing about cheerleading is how dangerous it is. Over 66 percent of major college sports injuries, and 65 percent in high school, are attributed to cheerleading mishaps. In other words, the so-called bimbos are facing more pain than the athletes in the sports they cheer for.
Most of all, it is the dedication of these athletes that make one consider cheerleading a sport. Cheerleaders have to work together in a tight-knit fashion to make each stunt safe and successful. Each motion and tumble must be synchronized in competition, and their movements are judged harshly. If even one element or one person's movements are off, not only can the team suffer in style and technique, but the safety of the members is put at stake.
The way I see it, these girls (and guys) can simply rock on, wear their cute uniforms, and if people discredit them as not being athletes, kick 'em in the face.
Be the first to comment on this story