Why Competitive Cheer is a SPORT.

The stigma behind cheerleading…

As cheerleaders, one of the most frustrating things one can hear is, “Cheerleading is not a sport”. Although you think of a thousand arguments that you could use to defend the sport that you love, oftentimes you’re left stunned when the other person insists that “cheerleading is not a sport”. Sometimes, despite your best explanation, society still has this preconception that cheerleading is not really a sport.

Why is cheer considered to not be a sport by so many? This stigma stems from a lack of knowledge of what competitive cheer really is. Cheer is then further aggravated by what the media portrays cheerleading to be. Movies and TV series often paint the picture of cheerleaders as bratty girls who are not serious about school, wear provocative uniforms or clothing and use that to gain popularity. But the truth is, competitive cheerleaders are some of the most disciplined, hardworking, and studious people.

There are two types of cheerleading – sideline cheerleading and competitive cheerleading. To briefly explain, sideline cheerleading is often what is represented in media. Sideline cheerleaders typically cheer through a school and or University. They aim to support a certain sporting team, hype up a crowd, and give motivation to that team. Competitive cheer on the other hand is when cheerleaders compete against each other at a competition using a routine. Competitive cheer is through a club or organization. This routine comprises various athletic elements such as jumps, tumbling, stunts, pyramid, and dance which are then judged by a panel of cheerleading experts on difficulty and execution.

What makes cheer a sport?

To begin let’s take a look at the definition of the word ‘sport’.

A sport defined by the Oxford Dictionary is “An activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment”.

“An activity involving physical exertion and skill”

Cheerleading is a highly demanding physical activity that requires a tremendous amount of skill. Competitive cheer requires an extensive amount of practice and training in order to be able to perform high-level stunts and tumbling. Competitive cheerleading is a year-round sport, with the new season typically starting in late May or early June. For an activity to truly be considered a sport, it must involve competition against others. In competitive cheer, teams compete against each other in a head-to-head fashion and are evaluated according to a standardized set of rules. The competitive season typically begins around October and goes until the following May.

It is clear to see, that there is more to competitive cheer than just standing on the sidelines and yelling. The sport requires intense physical exertion, a high level of skill, precision, athleticism, and a lot of training. This means that saying cheerleading as a whole does not meet the requirements to be considered a sport, is simply incorrect.

It’s your turn! Comment below your best “cheer is a sport because… ” comebacks and facts below, and remember do not let anyone make you feel lesser of an athlete because they do not respect your sport. Cheers!