U.s. Judge In Conn.: Cheerleading Not A Sport

[Guest RachaelAnn]

I saw this when I logged on today. Personally I never considered cheerleading a sport anyway, but it seems that now they're making it official.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38347400/?GT1=43001

Rachael

[Guest KimberlyF]

Cheerleading is a sport. By saying it isn't the states don't have to regulate it and protect the girls. It's all about money.

Kar

[Guest Cris]

My oldest daughter was a cheerleader in High School, and she did competition cheerleading. Back in my day I would have to agree that it wasnt a sport... but today... Its definately a cross between gymnastics and dance and those girls are true athletes.

Cris

[Guest ChloëC]

I understand the difference between 'Cheerleading' and Competative Cheer, but I would certainly like to see more information on the ruling. Just because some people are engaged in an activity doesn't necessarily make it a sport or not. Most amateur sports have sanctioning bodies, rules committees, and the like, which are well maintained and managed. I suspect the judge was getting at that aspect of the sport.

There have been a number of schools at all levels that have been notorious for trying to meet (or get around) Title IX requirements with rather marginal attempts at so-called sports. Locally, some schools early on in the Title IX process tried to use Fall Cheerleading and Winter Cheerleading as separate girls sports in order to meet the quota.

The real problem is that most school sports other than boys/mens football and boys/mens basketball don't traditionally make enough money to cover expenses and those two tend to carry the others. Except that I certainly don't see the English Department carrying the Math Department, or any school admin expecting anything like that. Why they do in the sports area is the crux of the problem.

To me, sports is and should be totally extra-ciricular, having nothing to do with any other aspect of a school, unless they want to make it non-selective like Math is. Everyone is required to take certain math classes. Football and the rest pre-select the participants and exclude the average student to the extent of actively recruiting participants that may not bother too much with the schooling requirement. (or allow everyone to sign up like they do for other classes - HA!)

disclaimer - I participated in a varsity sport and I supported my children in their participation (my two daughters earned 5 and 6 varsity letters respectively), so I understand the positives. The problem is that it's becoming big business which is detracting from what schooling at the high school or college level should be.

Chloë

[Guest lvmyftm]

There seem to be two different issues lumped into one in that article. The main issues is a funding one and Title 9 compliance for that university. Cheerleading is NOT a NCAA sanctioned sport, therefore it does not count as a sport towards Title 9 compliance for COLLEGIATE sports. That does not mean that cheerleading is not a sport at all, even though I wish it did, it just isn't one that universities can count for compliance. Sideline cheerleader and competitive cheerleaders are two different things. Sideline cheerleaders drive me nuts and are not athletes in my book, but competitive ones are.

[Guest Evan_J]

So many good responses to agree with.....

There is a big difference between sideline cheerleading (which if you've seen some of them , any nimrod running by could join into) and competative teams (and those are so precisioned and look like what Cris is talking about that honestly at this point they probably need a different name than "cheerleading"). In the end though it IS about money and funding . And of course not just gov money. Booster and alum money play in too with a lot of large contributors "ticked off" that their dough is being spread over to cheerleading. The fact is nobody comes to watch the cheerleaders. Or the dance team or whatever else you want to call it. Dad's "support" daughters emotionally participating in it, but few are "moved" enough by performance to kick out a big check or go in and pitch to the boss that the company become a supporter annually. No matter how much talent or athletic ability Amy may have, what she's doing is not of that much interest to the peeps with the paper. It's "nice" , its "something to watch" but doesn't make him swell with personal pride wherein he can project his younger self onto the procedure; THATS what gets you his money.

............

There have been a number of schools at all levels that have been notorious for trying to meet (or get around) Title IX requirements with rather marginal attempts at so-called sports. Locally, some schools early on in the Title IX process tried to use Fall Cheerleading and Winter Cheerleading as separate girls sports in order to meet the quota.

Pathetic.

The real problem is that most school sports other than boys/mens football and boys/mens basketball don't traditionally make enough money to cover expenses and those two tend to carry the others. Except that I certainly don't see the English Department carrying the Math Department, or any school admin expecting anything like that. Why they do in the sports area is the crux of the problem.

"Why" actually is because its an amount of money that can be argued over so that only those things that satisfy those in power(yup, in the realm of sports its primarily the fellas, and typically with little or no resistance) can receive the lions portion of the funds.

This though was my favorite part, and what I've always thought also.

To me, sports is and should be totally extra-ciricular, having nothing to do with any other aspect of a school, unless they want to make it non-selective like Math is. Everyone is required to take certain math classes. Football and the rest pre-select the participants and exclude the average student to the extent of actively recruiting participants that may not bother too much with the schooling requirement. (or allow everyone to sign up like they do for other classes - HA!)

Or privatize ALL of them and make each singularly responsible for acquiring their own funding. THEN if there's no money for cheerleading who do you complain to?

[Guest sarah f]

Or privatize ALL of them and make each singularly responsible for acquiring their own funding. THEN if there's no money for cheerleading who do you complain to?

Evan I agree with this part the most. I do think chearleading is a sport but if they can't pay their way than why should other sports pay for their existance. The same with lacross, baseball, basketball and any other sport that uses money. I think education is the most important part of school not sports.

[Guest Donna Jean]

Sports in schools should be self sufficient and not need any tax money to exist...

That money is earmarked for education...sports of any kind are "extra" to the school experience...

And as had been mentioned, ths sports aren't for every student...just the choosen few...

Donna Jean

[Guest KimberlyF]

There was an excellent episode of BS by Penn & Teller about cheerleading where they trace the money from the company Varsity Cheer and the 60 some 'national championships' since it's not regulated as opposed to 1 for football and basketball ect, and all the injuries to these girls because it's not regulated. Plus the woman who pushed through title IX is OK with women making choices as long as they're the same as hers. Cheerleaders are beneath her.

Kar

[JJ]

According to Live Science August 2008:

"1982 and 2007, there were 103 fatal, disabling or serious injuries recorded among female high school athletes, with the vast majority (67) occurring in cheerleading. The next most dangerous sports: gymnastics (nine such injuries) and track (seven). Among college athletes, there have been 39 of these severe injuries: 26 in cheerleading, followed by three in field hockey and two each in lacrosse and gymnastics. The report also notes that according to the NCAA Insurance program, 25 percent of money spent on student athlete injuries in 2005 resulted from cheerleading."

Although it seems to be that competitive cheerleading should be considered a sport given the level of athletic ability involved and that these teams are representing their schools. And I agree that it is about dollars in large part.

It should be noted that men are also involved in cheerleading-particularly at a collegiate level although on a much smaller scale.

I suspect part of the problem is that competitive cheerleading is seeking to avoid the regulation that official recognition would bring. It should be noted that some sports associations do limit the most dangerous stunts after catastrophhc injuries occurred.

Most analysts concur that injuries could be greatly decreased by considering cheerleading a sport and thereby ensuring that coaches and safety practices were uniformly regulated with the competence of coaches being a major predictor of injuries..