Should Cheerleading Be Considered a Sport?

Should cheerleading be considered a sport?

Think about the cheerleaders you know or know about. Do you consider them to be athletes? Through my survey 100% of people surveyed believe cheerleading is a sport. A sport is an activity involving physical exertion and skill, governed by a set off rules or customs and is undertaken competitively. To some people though, cheerleading is an accessory to sports, much like a nice handbag or a fresh fitted baseball cap. However, cheerleading has evolved into an athletic phenomenon. Cheerleading is commonly divided into two subdivisions: competitive cheerleading and school cheerleading. Cheerleading competitions are nationally televised on primetime sports networks such as ESPN and Fox Sports Net. 60% of people surveyed have either participated or witnessed a cheerleading competition. Cheerleading has been the main theme in major motion pictures such as Bring It On, Sugar and Spice, and Bring It on Again. Does cheerleading fit the bill? In this essay, I will analyze each section of cheerleading, and based on its degree of physical exertion, rules, and competitiveness, the three characteristics of a sport, I will conclude whether or not cheerleading is a sport.

Competition cheerleading is usually more athletic than school cheerleading because it requires more gymnastics, muscular strength and muscular endurance. There are no sports teams at cheerleading competitions. The cheerleaders are the main focus and their main focus is perfection. Such flawlessness calls for countless intense practices along with other sessions of extensive strength and gymnastics training. Specialized gyms that specifically provide to the needs of cheerleaders, which now include more than being cute and peppy, have become very popular all over the world. Competitive cheerleading incorporates very distinct lifts and tosses called stunts. Stunts consist of a strong cheerleader, called a base, lifting or throwing a lighter teammate, a flyer, by the feet. A good competitive squad also incorporates Olympic level tumbling skills such as stationary tumbling, most commonly standing back tucks, and intricate, multi-skill tumbling passes. The rules and guidelines for competition cheerleading are like those of any sport. There are time constraints, age limits, and skill requirements. Each team routine must be between three and-a-half to four minutes, which generally consist of one or more tumbling sequences, dancing, and stunting all done to music. Cheerleaders compete in age divisions such as junior and senior, as well as organizational divisions like all-star and recreation. Certain divisions allow routines with