Should Cheerleading Be Considered A Sport?

Should cheerleading be considered a sport? Absolutely! I love the sandbox! “Cheer encompasses many different aspects - - - from physicality to showmanship” (Gray).Cheer is an activity that involves physical exertion and skill (Gray).“The skill cheerleaders have such as routines that require one or two people to lift their body weight, if not more, in the air quickly and with precision.”(Gray).“Cheerleading is competitive, with athletic requirements rivaling those of other team sports”(Bennett). Proven by extensive research, cheerleading is a sport. Cheerleaders have to go through extreme physical training, just like any other sport. “Despite the increased focus on cheerleading safety in the recent years, cheerleading remains a dangerous sport” (Bennett). However with

Bennett. However, Competitive Cheer - Combines: gymnastics, cheer, and dance. Compete at regional, state, national, world, and more events for prestigious honors. “Competitive cheer may be considered a sport for Title X purposes. OCR makes that determination on a case-by-case basis.”(Bennett).You may not play cheer, but that doesn't make it any less of a sport. You don't play boxing, but it's still a sport, just like cheer. i.e. a snare of a snare. “People often view cheerleading as ‘less than’ because at its origins it started as a hobby to support other sports” (Gray). However, “Cheer isn't just about looking pretty standing on the sidelines at a football game. Cheerleaders also compete at regional, state and national competitions.” (Krause). There are multiple types of cheer teams, such as middle school, high school, college, youth rec, and All Star