Competitive Cheerleading is not a Sport

[FlorenceCock]

So says the US Appeals Court...
Court upholds cheerleading decision

HARTFORD, Conn. -- A federal appeals court has ruled that colleges cannot count competitive cheerleading as a sport when trying to comply with gender-equity requirements, upholding a U.S. District Court decision against Quinnipiac University.
In a decision released Tuesday, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that competitive cheerleading does not yet meet the standards of a varsity sport under Title IX, the 1972 federal law that mandates equal opportunities for men and women in education and athletics.
The ruling comes on an appeal filed by Quinnipiac, a school with about 8,000 students in Hamden, which had been successfully sued by its volleyball coach after it tried to eliminate the women's volleyball program in favor of competitive cheering.
"Like the district court, we acknowledge record evidence showing that competitive cheerleading can be physically challenging, requiring competitors to possess 'strength, agility, and grace,'" the court wrote. "Similarly, we do not foreclose the possibility that the activity, with better organization and defined rules, might someday warrant recognition as a varsity sport. But, like the district court, we conclude that the record evidence shows that 'that time has not yet arrived.'"

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/st...sport-title-ix

[Spurrier_Superior_One]

Hard to believe that it took our justice system to rule on something we already knew. Ktguen isn't going to be happy.

[usc90grad]

What about NASCAR?

[FlorenceCock]

Originally Posted by usc90grad

What about NASCAR?

Don't think the court has ruled on that one just yet...

[sc455]

Eveyone knows competitive cheerleading is a performing art, or ithought so. Eliminating volleyball, thus firing the volleyball coach, was dumb.

[ktguen]

This happened a few years ago, I'm surprised it's just now being brought up. We even had a thread on it back then.

I was sad at first and then looked into the details. It makes sense. Cheerleading (as of right now) lacks a universal scoring system that would greatly improve our chances of becoming a legitimate sport. There are a few sport squads in a handful of colleges around the country. (They are recognized by their school) They are placed under limitations that would greatly damage cheerleading. First and foremost being the limited practice schedules. Cheer has by far the longest season of any activity. I know here at USC tryouts are the first of May and the season runs all the way to Nationals at the end of April. Deeming it a sport would place it under the same limitations as say, football, with only a few weeks of practice before the season kicks in. That's simple not enough time to put together a routine, let alone have that same team cheer for football/basketball games. Another huge issue it the governing body. Although it is competitive and challenging, at it's core it is disorganized with many different event producers and score sheets, etc. This is part of what is holding it back.

Anyway, not the end of the world. They did not rule it out entirely, they just said it currently did not meet the standards, which I agree with. I don't have an issue with people thinking it's not a sport, I have an issue with people who say cheerleaders aren't athletes.

[ktguen]

Originally Posted by sc455

Eveyone knows competitive cheerleading is a performing art, or ithought so. Eliminating volleyball, thus firing the volleyball coach, was dumb.

Sideline cheering I suppose could be qualified as a performing art. Competitive cheerleading (which is the topic being discussed) is much more.

[Spurrier_Superior_One]

Originally Posted by usc90grad

What about NASCAR?

NASCAR is a sport, there is no doubt about that.

[Spurrier_Superior_One]

Originally Posted by ktguen

Sideline cheering I suppose could be qualified as a performing art. Competitive cheerleading (which is the topic being discussed) is much more.

I will give you this cheerleading is more of a sport than equestrian or horse racing.

[ColaCock]

If your activity requires judges to determine a winner, then you are likely not considered to be competing in a sport.

For the record, you rarely find anyone outside of a participant in cheerleading that will agree that it is a sport or that they are athletes. I had an ex who was adamant about it and would argue the point constantly. I went to the competitions. It was "tough" for her, but nowhere near a sport or for her to be called an athlete.

[crowcutta]

hmm i thought the case example was going to be cheerleading used as a way to maintain a male sport rather than eliminate a female one.

[uscfreek88]

im gonna be that guy

duh...

[Lalli25]

Originally Posted by ColaCock

If your activity requires judges to determine a winner, then you are likely not considered to be competing in a sport.

For the record, you rarely find anyone outside of a participant in cheerleading that will agree that it is a sport or that they are athletes. I had an ex who was adamant about it and would argue the point constantly. I went to the competitions. It was "tough" for her, but nowhere near a sport or for her to be called an athlete.

My wife was cheerleader and now coaches it. I agree that it isn't a sport. She gets upset with me, so I usually just bite my tongue. But you constantly hear them complain about the scoring or routines and how their bias, which is usually when I chime in with the, "that's why people hate judge competitions and don't call them sports."

I do not agree that the girls aren't athletes. What they do takes great amount of athleticism and skill. That is always the misunderstanding between saying cheer isn't a sport. It isn't that it is not hard or doesn't take athleticism to do the tumbling and different moves, but the actual judging of who won that makes it not a sport. Anything that you can't directly determine the outcome but instead allows an arbitrary judge decide who wins, is not a sport.

[ktguen]

Originally Posted by Lalli25

My wife was cheerleader and now coaches it. I agree that it isn't a sport. She gets upset with me, so I usually just bite my tongue. But you constantly hear them complain about the scoring or routines and how their bias, which is usually when I chime in with the, "that's why people hate judge competitions and don't call them sports."

I do not agree that the girls aren't athletes. What they do takes great amount of athleticism and skill. That is always the misunderstanding between saying cheer isn't a sport. It isn't that it is not hard or doesn't take athleticism to do the tumbling and different moves, but the actual judging of who won that makes it not a sport. Anything that you can't directly determine the outcome but instead allows an arbitrary judge decide who wins, is not a sport.

I agree with you. I guess if you're not educated enough on it it's easier to say cheerleaders aren't athletes. Like I said I don't care if people don't think it's a sport. I myself agree it's not to that point let. But participants (in the competitive aspect) are 100% athletes.

[sc455]

Ktguen..i know what competitive cheer is. cs is bigtime in va..i guess i was saying its more like floor excersice in gymnastics..a routine is done and you are then judged..which sucks because therd is always that east german judge.

maybe synchroswimming would be better since that is a team performsnce..

[usc90grad]

Might not be a sport, but it's nice to watch.

[2000grad]

True...not a sport. Do you have to be athletic to be good at competitive cheering? Umm...duh. That's a dumb question. They are strong and hone twitch muscles as well as flexibility and plyometrics.

The problem with the respect or lack thereof comes when you have to hire someone to pick the team or get a panel of judges not affiliated with the school because of jealousy issues. Then, you always have some nut mother like Wanda Holloway or the reputation of the Fab Five from Texas. Many girls and mothers see being on the cheerleadering squad as a social status and a popularity rise in school. Doesn't mean that others don't see their sport as such, but the OP is about cheerleading.

[robgusc76]

Originally Posted by Lalli25

My wife was cheerleader and now coaches it. I agree that it isn't a sport. She gets upset with me, so I usually just bite my tongue. But you constantly hear them complain about the scoring or routines and how their bias, which is usually when I chime in with the, "that's why people hate judge competitions and don't call them sports."

I do not agree that the girls aren't athletes. What they do takes great amount of athleticism and skill. That is always the misunderstanding between saying cheer isn't a sport. It isn't that it is not hard or doesn't take athleticism to do the tumbling and different moves, but the actual judging of who won that makes it not a sport. Anything that you can't directly determine the outcome but instead allows an arbitrary judge decide who wins, is not a sport.

Originally Posted by ktguen

I agree with you. I guess if you're not educated enough on it it's easier to say cheerleaders aren't athletes. Like I said I don't care if people don't think it's a sport. I myself agree it's not to that point let. But participants (in the competitive aspect) are 100% athletes.

As far as athletes go, Cheerleaders are crazy good. Never doubt that, in fact I think they are some of the better athletes as far as female athletes go. However I have this argument with my bosses wife all the time that its not a sport, and its exactly why you stated. The judges.

[Karl Childers]

I bet abo's going to be dissapointed.

[Don Giovanni]

Originally Posted by Spurrier_Superior_One

NASCAR is a sport, there is no doubt about that.

Non
Athletic
Sport
Centered
Around
Rednecks

I seriously cannot make myself think of NASCAR as a sport. I would consider cheerleading (competitive) as a legitimate sport 1,000,000 times before just driving a car fast.