Competitive cheerleading is most definitely a sport. However, I do not believe that school cheerleading is a sport. The two are very different, for example, in school cheerleading, you do not acquire points nor do you compete. The AACCA says, “The increased athleticism of cheerleading over the past twenty years has also seen the development of competitive events for cheerleaders. These competitions are voluntary, and in fact, the majority of cheerleading squads do not choose to enter competition. The competitions are also secondary to the main function of the school cheerleading team, which remains one of building school unity and supporting the other athletic teams in competition.”(2)Competitive cheer is defiantly a sport and there's no doupt about it. There are points, teams you compete against, judges, hard work, sweat, and tears. Never doubt the power of a competitive cheerleader!

Cheer is very hard and requires very hard work and dedication. "According to the women’s sports foundation, competitive cheer fits the requirements of a sport! Here are the guidelines:
• It must be a physical activity which involves propelling a mass through space or overcoming the resistance of mass. (Stunting… check)!
• “Contesting” or competing against/with an opponent is required (Competition… check)!













• It must be governed by rules that explicitly define the time, space, and purpose of the contest and the conditions under which a winner is declared. (Time limit, mat size, score sheets… check, check, check)!
• Acknowledgement that the primary purpose of the competition is a comparison of the relative skills of the participants. (You know those competitions on ESPN? Those are national championships… check)!"(1) According to these guidelines competitive cheerleading qualifies as a sport. ESPN says, “The argument whether cheerleading should be granted sport status is one that has escalated into a fierce debate over the past year. In July, the University of Maryland became the first Division I-A school to recognize competitive cheerleading as a varsity sport and count it toward the Title IX requirements. The move is one that drew praise from some, but criticism from others.”(1)

Also, cheer takes time and dedication just as any other sport. You have to stay with it and work hard. You have to spend time on tumbling, jumps, stunts, and dancing. It’s not as easy as you might think. Tumbling and stunts are the biggest part, I think. Tumbling takes long hard hours at the gym and a lot of blood sweat and tears. Speaking of blood, sweat and tears, in my kast season of cheerleading, one of our main flyers, fell from a stunt and broke her collar bone. We were all very upset when this happened, but we came together as a team and got through it together. Now, she is all healed and competing at nationals in a few weeks! We are all are so proud of her! As for stunts, you may have the perfect bases, but your flyer has to be just as good! Oh, and you can't forget a back spot, they help you in so many ways! If you fall don't worry your back will be right there for you! Stunts are my favorite to preform and to watch! You have to be on perfect timing with them. One mistake and your whole stunt will go down.












Plus the flyers, they take an enormous risk of getting hurt as they spin up in the air or do any kind of stunt. Jumps are a big part, too. Jumps don’t just come to you. You have to practice, practice, and practice some more. If you do that your jumps will be higher than you could imagine in no time! Dancing is, in my opinion, very fun! You get to use your facials and sell it to the judges! The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches & Administrators says, “Today, cheerleading involves skills which require the strength of football, the grace of dance, and the agility of gymnastics. Complex maneuvers are performed which challenge the limits of the body.”(1)

Your team is another important part of cheer. Your team is always there for you. Never let them down! A When you are debating an issue, loyalty means giving your honest opinion, whether you think that they will like it or not. "It's kind of like running an all-out sprint for two-and-half minutes," said Georgia Tech senior King Harrison, who played basketball and soccer in high school. "The only difference is you have to hold two 50-pound weights above your head."
“This is where the argument ends. Not because of any physical definition- as you can see cheerleading meets ALL of the athletic specifications,” Nicole Lauchaire says. This argument could go on for hours. When someone asks you the “is cheerleading a spothem all the facts. Even if people still don’t believe that cheerleading is not active enough to be a sport, at least you know better..and that’s all that matters."