The debate has raged long and hard over cheerleading as a sport. What started as a support activity with cheerleaders standing on the sidelines cheering on other teams has evolved to include feats of athleticism that require skill and training. Cheerleaders today incorporate cheers, dances, jumps, tumbling and stunting into an exciting exhibition that requires a high degree of physical fitness, but the question still rages, "Is it a sport?"
Sport Definition
The Women's Sports organization was founded in 1974 by tennis great Billie Jean King. Its stated purpose is to positively benefit females through participation in sports. According to the WSF, there are four criteria an activity needs to meet in order to be considered a sport. Summarizing these specifications, a sport must be a physical activity, include competing against others, have rules and compare skills of participants. In addition to these criteria, the WSF specifies that the primary purpose of the activity must be competition.
Benefits of Sport
The reasons for desiring sport status for cheerleading are many and varied. Some within the cheerleading community simply want the recognition that comes from being deemed a sport. However, many contend that being defined as a sport would give cheerleaders access to better funding, which could lead to hiring better coaches, more money for uniforms and improved facilities and equipment. Administrators within schools also see a benefit from classifying cheerleading as a sport. The large number of females involved in cheerleading would help schools meet the requirements for gender equity in sports as outlined in Title IX.
Pitfalls of Sport
As with all good things, there are downfalls to cheerleading being classified as a sport. With sport classification comes increased regulation. Cheerleading squads would face rules regarding amount of practice allowed, how and when fund-raising can be done, out-of-state travel and even frequency of competition. In addition to these regulations, the biggest perceived benefit of increased funding is not always possible. Many schools just do not have the budget to increase funding to cheerleading whether it is a sport or not.
Athletic Activity
The answer to whether or not cheerleading is a sport is just not simple. The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators proposes a new category should emerge. This category, athletic activities, should include activities that require athletic ability but are not solely for the purpose of competition. Included in their new category would be cheerleading, dance teams and marching bands. This new classification would place these activities squarely between activity status and sports status. Participants in the athletic activities would be considered student-athletes eligible for honors from the athletic department and eligible to be covered by any available catastrophic insurance policy.
References
- American Association of Cheerleading Coaches & Administrators: Cheerleading As a Sport
- Women's Sports Foundation; WSF Response to NY Times Article "Born on Sidelines Cheering Clamors to Be Sport"; May 2011
- "The New York Times"; Born on Sideline, Cheering Clamors to Be Sport; Katie Thomas; May 2011
- Women's Sports Foundation: Cheerleading, Drill Team, Danceline and Band As Varsity Sports: The Foundation Position
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