Is cheerleading a sport? The Women’s Sports Foundation defines a sport as a physical activity that involves propelling a mass through space or overcoming the resistance of mass (Lanchaire 1). The definition also includes competition, which is governed by rules that explicitly define the time, space, and purpose of the contest and the conditions under which a winner is declared. Further, Lanchaire defines a competition as an activity that has the primary purpose of comparing the relative skills of the participants. Each component of the definition describes cheerleading competitions. Cheerleading should be classified as a sport because it implements a team that works and competes like athletes like every sport.
The safety regulations are strict, and cheerleading coaches put in the same amount of time and effort as other sports’ coaches do. To this day, some argue that cheerleading is not a sport. They say that cheerleaders only try to look cute and that cheerleading is not competitive. An athlete is a person trained in exercises or contests involving physical agility, stamina, or strength, and a participant in a game or sport requiring physical skill. Cheerleaders are the exact definition of athletes, but no one knows it because they do not see the work that is put in behind the scenes. Cheerleaders, though know they are true athletes (Janel 1). Cheerleading has evolved yet some refuse to recognize the changes. Instead of just yelling and shaking pom poms, modern cheerleading teams build human pyramids, tumble, and do tosses and other stunts that require strength and care so that no one injures him/herself. Data suggests that more than 3 million cheerleaders nationwide ages 6 and older went to the ER due to cheerleading related injuries (Tanner 1).
Still, many schools that do not consider cheerleading a sport also do not set rules or regulations that would make cheerleading safer. Since cheerleaders throw people in the air, stack up on top of each other, and do stunts that go 12 feet in the air or higher, so schools, at the very least, should prevent these exercises on hard surfaces, and they should require mats. If cheerleading was an official sport, every school would be required to use mats and have safer rules. Title IX states that no person in the United States shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance because of gender (AACCA 1).
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Under this title, an activity can be considered a sport if it has “coaches, practices, competitions during a defined season and a governing organization” (ESPN 1). Title IX also states that the primary goal of any activity is competing (not supporting another athletic team), and competitions are a cheerleading team’s main focus. Teams work hard in practice as they seek to perfect each move and motion. Coaches push their teams and spend an extraordinary amount of time working with them, so they should get coaches competitive salary. Cheerleading coaches put time and effort into coaching their squads, and they deserve compensation. If cheerleading was considered a Title IX sport, coaches would be paid more, and schools would also have funds for uniforms, mats, warm up clothing, and other cheerleading team necessities. Cheerleading is also time consuming. To prepare, cheerleaders condition at a high level just like any other athletes do. Like other sports teams, most cheer squads also hold practices on the weekends. Cheerleading has grown and become more complex throughout the years. It is time to recognize it as a sport.
