Sport or Not?

[CheerExtreme]

Sorry, this is a really random thread but somebody on the tb has pm and such saying that cheerleading is not a sport. (also in the real world people have been telling me and my other friends that it is not a sport). What do you all think and why. Discuss.

[DisGirlAllie]

It's like the whole dancing is not a real sport thing. A matter of opinion. As for me both are sports.

[Tinkerbell424]

Yes,I think cheerleading is a sport.

Those cheerleaders have to work out and try just as hard to do a flip in the air as someone dunking a ball into a net.

[K-Shong99]

It's a physical activity that takes strength and power and what not. I think it's a sport. But most of my freinds say that if it wasn't for basketball and football thre would be no cheerleading so it isn't a sport but I think you have to work at it so... it is a sport.:confused3

[CheerExtreme]

^thanks. Does anybody know how to change the thead name??? As you can see it says Sport of Not?

[XoPinky1oX]

i think that cheerleading is definately a sport. this year all of the guys and my friends were like cheering isnt a sport. They just dont understrand how hard it is lol i got so many bruises this year i looked like i was on the football team

Plus in Highschool they give you a Varsity Letter if you cheer on varsity and they wouldnt give you that if it wasnt classified a sport

[CheerExtreme]

It's a physical activity that takes strength and power and what not. I think it's a sport. But most of my freinds say that if it wasn't for basketball and football thre would be no cheerleading so it isn't a sport but I think you have to work at it so... it is a sport.:confused3

Lots of people say that but there is are cheerleaders that don't cheer for teams. I cheer for trophies.

[VolleyballQt07]

As much as I despise most cheereleaders, I do think cheerleading is a sport because they put so much time, effort, and dedication into it. :cheer2:

[goofyandplutoluver]

I think it is.

[scrub05]

i am a cheerleader for the MJW and have been told many times that it is not a sport. i guess it really isnt a sport but i consiter it as a sport because you have to work really hard and put lots of time into it to do the best you can
~katie:cheer2:

[GxBarbie]

i have been a cheerleader for 8 years and dancing for 2 years
i consider cheerleading a sport you have to work hard and it is not easy
but as for dance i don't know.

and to change the title you have to click edit and advance.
i think:confused3

[Babyjustrun]

I'm sick of these topics.
Yes, they are sports.
But I don't care.

[DisGirlAllie]

i have been a cheerleader for 8 years and dancing for 2 years
i consider cheerleading a sport you have to work hard and it is not easy
but as for dance i don't know.

and to change the title you have to click edit and advance.
i think:confused3

dance is a sport. It's a sport because you have to put in a lot of work and it takes a lot more atheltic ability than you would think. But then again I'm on competition team and advancement team so...

[XoPinky1oX]

I agree ^ and im in a competition group and advanced classes to

[CheerExtreme]

I'm sick of these topics.
Yes, they are sports.
But I don't care.

Sorry it was just a question.

[HSMndLKfan92]

Yes.

[bouncytigger22]

Cheerleading is a sport, but cheerleaders at my school are like if your not popular, you can't be a cheerleader, and I was, i lovedd it! but they were mean to me pretty much, just like ignoring me. some of them are nice, some of them i can't stand. hopefully adrienne isnt like that.

[AngienLuLu]

Definately.

[CheerExtreme]

Well for some reason the popular kids at my school don't do sports. Besides I don't even do school cheer. I am an all-star cheerleader. In other words I cheer for titles, trophies, and to do crazy things. We compete and such. Thanks for all the nice words. But, those who don't think it is a sport why don't you?

[TinkerTracy]

No I don't think it's a sport.

[CheerExtreme]

TinkerTracy-Why don't you?

[BabyPiglet]

It's definitely a sport, I'd like to hear the reasoning from someone who says its not.

You spend hours and hours working out, then hours and hours in practice...You have to make sure everything is just right. It takes a LOT of athletic ability. So does dancing.

[Addicted.to.Speed]

I do not think its a sport

This is because it is judged. So therefore there is no clear winner because the judges can be byest (sp)

Unlike basketball, soccer, rugby, football, baseball, hockey, ect...where you score points Ex. making a basket for basketball. There is no byest variable because it is obviouse if the person made the shot or not.

This is why i think racing is a sport,not because of the point system, but you have evidence to tell you who won the race. There is also no byest variable involved.

Now your probly saying that all those sports have referess. Yes they do but, there is still a clear winner.

So what im trying to say is that cheerleading isnt a sport because the judges can be byest which can change the outcome of the scores which determines the winner.

Just my two cents

[Skelington Spade]

It might be sport, but it's really stupid and pointless IMO

[BabyPiglet]

Addicted.To.Speed, you spelled it wrong. It's BIASED, not byest.

______________

SkelingtonSpade, so you're saying that basketball, volleyball, soccer, baseball... You're saying they're NOT pointless. Hell, every sport is pretty much pointless, you do it for fun, or for money, not to serve a purpose.

[CheerExtreme]

Addicted.To.Speed- So a ref. can't be biased? They could chose one team over another! There are about 30 judges out there staring you down for one mistake just to blow you over. I am sorry but anybody can be biased, i mean heck the whole world is. Your reasons arn't reasonable.

[::Snow_White::]

Yes.

[Skelington Spade]

Addicted.To.Speed- So a ref. can't be biased? They could chose one team over another! There are about 30 judges out there staring you down for one mistake just to blow you over. I am sorry but anybody can be biased, i mean heck the whole world is. Your reasons arn't reasonable.

There are more then on ref, in a game. so chances are they're not ALL biased.

[BabyPiglet]

There are more then on ref, in a game. so chances are they're not ALL biased.
Chances are not all the judges are biased either!

[Skelington Spade]

I didn't say they were. I said NOTHING about the freakin cheerleaders judges, I was talking about basketball and such.

[::Snow_White::]

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sport

1. an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc.


Cheerleading requires skill, and physical power and is sometimes a competitive nature.

[CheerExtreme]

Yeah but I didn't say that they were ALL biased.

[CheerExtreme]

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sport

1. an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc.


Cheerleading requires skill, and physical power and is sometimes a competitive nature.

*Bows head and thanks you* But the cheerleading I do is ALL competitive nature!

[::Snow_White::]

*Bows head and thanks you* But the cheerleading I do is ALL competitive nature!

I wasn't sure. That's why I put sometimes.
Our cheerleaders don't compete.
But I know some do. Like you.

You're welcome.

[Addicted.to.Speed]

Addicted.To.Speed, you spelled it wrong. It's BIASED, not byest.

SkelingtonSpade, so you're saying that basketball, volleyball, soccer, baseball... You're saying they're NOT pointless. Hell, every sport is pretty much pointless, you do it for fun, or for money, not to serve a purpose.

1.Thank you i never knew how to spell that word and thst why i put (sp)
I learned something new today :teacher:

2. When you say that everysport is pointless because you do it for fun, or for money....so having fun is pointless and having a job is pointless??????? idk if thats what you mean but, i think that having fun and having a job are very crucial in life
so please clear it up for me


Addicted.To.Speed- So a ref. can't be biased? They could chose one team over another! There are about 30 judges out there staring you down for one mistake just to blow you over. I am sorry but anybody can be biased, i mean heck the whole world is. Your reasons arn't reasonable.

Yes a ref. can be biased, but is it biasest if a person makes a shot or not????
To me its very clear when a person in basketball makes a shot.
Refs in the sports that i listed aid the game they dont determine the scoring which determines who wins.
This is not the same in cheerleading becuase the judges determine the scoring which tells you who wins

[Jasmine45]

I thought it was an art
:confused3

[BabyPiglet]

It doesn't even matter if the judges are biased. The definition of [sport] never said anything about how the players score points.

[KidGoofy]

I say no because it is you are either you weigh less than a feather so you are thrown in the air or you lift the feather weight over your head. And no athlete cheers during when they are playing. This is just my opinion.

[BabyPiglet]

I say no because it is you are either you weigh less than a feather so you are thrown in the air or you lift the feather weight over your head. And no athlete cheers during when they are playing. This is just my opinion.
No, there is so much more than that.

I just wish people were more open minded, and realized that cheerleaders work hard, really hard to get everything perfect. It's a very maticulous [sp] sport, it has to be toned perfectly.

[Princess_Dot]

I am a competitive cheerleader and I still voted no. While I do think cheerleading is the single most dificult physical activity there is, it is not a "sport." My whole camp talked about this and we decided if cheerleading was considered a "sport" we would be put under so many new limitations. The stunts and difficulty we are allowd to perform is because we are our own type of physical activity. Take school cheering, for example, varsity teams would be limited on the amount of difficulty they could perform. If the poll question was "Is cheerleading just as hard as any sport?" I would have totally answered yes!

Keep in mind this is just my opinion, I really wich I could remember some of the examples our camp counslers told us.

Edited to add:
I say no because it is you are either you weigh less than a feather so you are thrown in the air or you lift the feather weight over your head. And no athlete cheers during when they are playing. This is just my opinion.

You obviously have not watched a real cheerleading competion. Check out ESPN sometime. I voted no because I have already talked about this and have evidence. Please this is a very uninformed post, ugh, I hate when people talk about cheerleaders like we are nothing.

[KidGoofy]

I am a competitive cheerleader and I still voted no. While I do think cheerleading is the single most dificult physical activity there is, it is not a "sport." My whole camp talked about this and we decided if cheerleading was considered a "sport" we would be put under so many new limitations. The stunts and difficulty we are allowd to perform is because we are our own type of physical activity. Take school cheering, for example, varsity teams would be limited on the amount of difficulty they could perform. If the poll question was "Is cheerleading just as hard as any sport?" I would have totally answered yes!

Keep in mind this is just my opinion, I really wich I could remember some of the examples our camp counslers told us.

Edited to add:


You obviously have not watched a real cheerleading competion. Check out ESPN sometime. I voted no because I have already talked about this and have evidence. Please this is a very uninformed post, ugh, I hate when people talk about cheerleaders like we are nothing.

I have watched those competitions and I am still sticking to my opinion.

[Princess_Dot]

I have watched those competitions and I am still sticking to my opinion.

Allright if you have watched those competitions and you still think it is just a matter of lifting someone "light as a feather?" Any cheerleader you talk to will tell you flyers are not light, short? yes, light? no. They probably have more muscle than anyone on the team. My flyer this year was not light...she had so much muscle it was crazy! Go try to do a single-man stunt with one of these "light" flyers and I am sure you will be surprised.

*I know this sounds like I am attacking you, I am sorry, this is just how it comes off on the internet. I just want this to be a friendly debate.

[KidGoofy]

Allright if you have watched those competitions and you still think it is just a matter of lifting someone "light as a feather?" Any cheerleader you talk to will tell you flyers are not light, short? yes, light? no. They probably have more muscle than anyone on the team. My flyer this year was not light...she had so much muscle it was crazy! Go try to do a single-man stunt with one of these "light" flyers and I am sure you will be surprised.

*I know this sounds like I am attacking you, I am sorry, this is just how it comes off on the internet. I just want this to be a friendly debate.

I am sorry too because I just read over my post and sounded very rude. But I highly doubt that they weigh anymore than 130. The only way I can see it if is male cheerleaders( not trying to be a male chauvinist) that are throwing her. I mean the cheerleaders at our school need four girls to hold up a girl who weighs around 100-110.

[TinkerTracy]

I don't mean to offend any cheerleaders. It is a lot of work and requires physical skill, but when compared to something such as...we'll say hockey it's just not in the same group as something like that. Cheerleading on a DAY TO DAY basis is NOT a competition with a loser and a winner....

[Sparx]

competitive cheerleaders are athletes.

school cheerleaders are not.

[Addicted.to.Speed]

It doesn't even matter if the judges are biased. The definition of [sport] never said anything about how the players score points.

This is true, but then how do you win a sport and if there is no winner than its not competitive which makes it not a sport

[KidGoofy]

This is true, but then how do you win a sport and if there is no winner than its not competitive which makes it not a sport

I will admit I had to read this a couple of times to understand this. But that is true.

[BabyPiglet]

This is true, but then how do you win a sport and if there is no winner than its not competitive which makes it not a sport
There are winners. But technically having a winner, doesn't define a sport.

It is VERY competitive.

[xCourxCorex]

I think Sparx has a point that I kind of agree with. If you just cheer on the sidelines, it can't really be considered a sport.
Example: A school whose cheer team only goes to games, pep rallies, etc. vs a school whose cheer team does the aforementioned things, PLUS COMPETES AGAINST other cheer teams. Same with dance. A team that only provides the entertainment/cheers is much different than the team that learns a competition routine.

In cheer/dance competitions, you EARN POINTS for style, difficulty (which takes ATHLETIC ABILITY), creativity, choreography, etc. It is a competition that results in a winner - one team has to get first place. What about gymnastics? They don't score goals or touchdowns, but they are considered a sport.

If you aren't going to say it's a sport, you need to at least realize the amount of physical conditioning these activities take to make a good cheerleader/dancer. It's about executing the 2minute routine you have learned to PERFECTION with a smile and grace at the same time. You must always be aware of your surroundings and teammates. One mistake could blow it for your team. Watch the national champions from UDA nationals. Perfectly in sync with each other. Turning on one leg, with the other at or above your hip, smiling and not losing balance. Leaping 4+ feet in the air, with pointed toes, straight back, pushed down shoulders and good arm placement. It takes months to get a group of people to perform exactly alike. You try and do it.

I'm not getting too in depth with this as I've shared my point of view a million times about this. Cheer, dance and gymnastics are all sports. They are just a little different than the "traditional" sports you might be used to.

[BabyPiglet]

I don't mean to offend any cheerleaders. It is a lot of work and requires physical skill, but when compared to something such as...we'll say hockey it's just not in the same group as something like that. Cheerleading on a DAY TO DAY basis is NOT a competition with a loser and a winner....
She's talking more about competitive cheerleading, and not school cheerleading.

[CheerExtreme]

I say no because it is you are either you weigh less than a feather so you are thrown in the air or you lift the feather weight over your head. And no athlete cheers during when they are playing. This is just my opinion.
Well then, The Feather is speaking. Yeah, I am the so called "feather" who goes in the air. I am short but who said that I was all skin and bones? The flyers condition themselves harder than anyone else on the team. So therefore they have so much lower and upper body strength that barely anybody can compare too.
I am a competitive cheerleader and I still voted no. While I do think cheerleading is the single most dificult physical activity there is, it is not a "sport." My whole camp talked about this and we decided if cheerleading was considered a "sport" we would be put under so many new limitations. The stunts and difficulty we are allowd to perform is because we are our own type of physical activity. Take school cheering, for example, varsity teams would be limited on the amount of difficulty they could perform. If the poll question was "Is cheerleading just as hard as any sport?" I would have totally answered yes!

Keep in mind this is just my opinion, I really wich I could remember some of the examples our camp counslers told us.

Edited to add:


You obviously have not watched a real cheerleading competion. Check out ESPN sometime. I voted no because I have already talked about this and have evidence. Please this is a very uninformed post, ugh, I hate when people talk about cheerleaders like we are nothing.
I understand what you are getting at but if you are a serious competition cheerleader than you would know that there are limitations. You can be illegal and get disqualified.
I don't mean to offend any cheerleaders. It is a lot of work and requires physical skill, but when compared to something such as...we'll say hockey it's just not in the same group as something like that. Cheerleading on a DAY TO DAY basis is NOT a competition with a loser and a winner....
Well there is a loser and winner but on a bigger basis. Like you are competiting against another 6 and up teams.
competitive cheerleaders are athletes.

school cheerleaders are not.
::yes::
This is true, but then how do you win a sport and if there is no winner than its not competitive which makes it not a sport
It is competitive so I can't see why you arn't getting it. Plus there is a winner.
She's talking more about competitive cheerleading, and not school cheerleading.
::yes::

[DisGirlAllie]

competitive cheerleaders are athletes.

school cheerleaders are not.

It's like dance. Competative dancers are athletes. Regular dancers who just do those little classes just to take up time are not athletes. Just my two cents.:confused3

[xCourxCorex]

Just wanted to add, my dance team is not considered a sport at my high school. On one hand I find this absolute crap, especially because the cheerleaders are a sport. Meanwhile, I am kind of glad we are not because there are so many limitations. If we were a sport, we could not practice as much as we do, especially during the summer, which is when our season basically begins with camp and competition and such. And we'd never have been able to go to nationals because there is apparently a limit on how far the team can travel. ANd from MA to FL is definately over the limit. All the kids at school still love us though, and we all know the A.D. who just retired was an old hag that hated girls and all girls sports anyways. The new A.D. is the football coach and he loves us so maybe things will get better for dance team :)

[Pirate Me]

I personally don't think it is a sport but since running and swimming are technically sports too I guess. I always associate sports with playing equipment like tennis rackets and game balls.

[Princess_Dot]

I understand what you are getting at but if you are a serious competition cheerleader than you would know that there are limitations. You can be illegal and get disqualified.



No beleive me I understand that completely. Just as a team we decided that we did'nt want to be put under any more limitations.

I don't mean to offend any cheerleaders. It is a lot of work and requires physical skill, but when compared to something such as...we'll say hockey it's just not in the same group as something like that. Cheerleading on a DAY TO DAY basis is NOT a competition with a loser and a winner....

As a cheerleader, we are all working towards that national title. There are definatly winners and losers. And when a team loses it is heart-breaking.

[CheerExtreme]

As a cheerleader, we are all working towards that national title. There are definatly winners and losers. And when a team loses it is heart-breaking.

Yes. My team is world ranked. We are 25th in the world. If one problem wouldn't have happened we would have gotten 12th. It was terrible that we all started to break down and cry.

[Princess_Dot]

Yes. My team is world ranked. We are 25th in the world. If one problem wouldn't have happened we would have gotten 12th. It was terrible that we all started to break down and cry.

I've so been there! The day states, a few years ago, our best tumbler/flyer broke her ankle. She just tripped down the stairs at the arena. We re-worked everything, got checked for penalties, then the mistake happend during our routine. We had to get marked down for the penalties. Ugh we got 2nd, it was so so so dissapointing! (especially at a states competition that we can normally sweep)

[Lil_Tink]

I think competitive cheerleading is, but highschool isnt. If you go to competitions, then it is a sport.

[BabyPiglet]

It's like dance. Competative dancers are athletes. Regular dancers who just do those little classes just to take up time are not athletes. Just my two cents.:confused3
Non competitive dancers probably do it for entertainment purposes, not to just take up time.

But then again, I've always just been a competitive player.

[disney100666]

yes, it is a sport. I don't cheer:cheer2: but I do irish step dance adn with the whole sport no thingI'm pretty much in the same boat as you and that is more effort then anyone will believe.

[CL_GreenStitch]

it all depends on how you look at it really.

cheerleading has most of the "requirements" (for a lack of a better term) to be a sport. it is competitive, you have to work hard, there are some people who are good and some bad. so i would say yes, it is a sport. but again it is just a matter of how you look at it.

[DisGirlAllie]

Non competitive dancers probably do it for entertainment purposes, not to just take up time.

But then again, I've always just been a competitive player.
You should ask the people who do non competative dance at my studio. All of them say "Who cares? It's just dance? We only do it to take up time and so our mom's stop bothering us" Your studio may differ but as for mine if you do non competative classes you're just doing it for taking up time.

[BabyPiglet]

You should ask the people who do non competative dance at my studio. All of them say "Who cares? It's just dance? We only do it to take up time and so our mom's stop bothering us" Your studio may differ but as for mine if you do non competative classes you're just doing it for taking up time.
My studio was different, all the girls there did it for fun, not to take up time.

[TinkerTracy]

Yeah I do think competitive cheerleading is a sport (as some people pointed out to me....BbayPiglet and Princess_Dot) and I agree with your opinons. I guess I misunderstood the question a little. School cheerleading like at my school...deff NOT a sport.

[straightj23]

It really depends. A lot of cheerleading squads make a routine and take it to cheerleading competitions across the nation. The different squads could be considered "teams" and they all do their best to get a better score than the other "teams." Therefore, I would consider it a sport. And along with that, marching band, drum corps, and figure skating are sports.

[Ricky Bobby26]

Is cheerleading a sport? Why do you care? Your argument is based on the fact that it is competitive. Chess is competetive, and requires a large amount of mental capabilities, determination, and anticipation however i would not consider it a sport. Someone mentioned that you can achieve a varsity letter for cheerleading and therefore it is a sport. Did you know you can obtain a varsity letter for being on the forensics team? In my opinion forensics is not a sport. It is competitive and requires long hours of training in order to be competive.

Some say cheerleading requires lots of physical activity, therefore it is a sport. At my school, you can obtain medals for your varsity jacket if you can lift a certain amount of weight. An example, i weigh 140, if i can bench 220, i get a medal. I don't think lifting is a sport, but it is in the olympics...so it must be?

I hunt, some people think that hunting is a sport. It requires having no mental fatigue and staying alert for hours. Also, once you finally do see a deer, you have to have the skill to take it in one shot. I do not believe hunting is a sport, however i have a lot of fun doing it.

What i'm trying to say is that you could argue just about anything is a sport. Those who believe that cheerleading is a sport will think so no matter what anyone else says. I'd assume 90% of people who think cheerleading isn't a sport will think so no matter what anyone says. Does it really matter what anyone else thinks? If you have fun doing it and are positive it is a sport, then why does it matter to you if others think its a sport or not?

[tigger/winnie/tink]

if you were do consider wearing short sckirts and runing around with pom poms a sport i your wrong i think its copetitive but not a sport