Dear Editor,
Michelle Wagner from Indianapolis offers several arguments to
convince us cheerleading is indeed a sport.
Divers do not have special shoes, like cheerleaders apparently
do, and diving IS a sport.
Dear Editor,
Michelle Wagner from Indianapolis offers several arguments to convince us cheerleading is indeed a sport.
Divers do not have special shoes, like cheerleaders apparently do, and diving IS a sport.
Ms. Wagner writes that she “trains and competes like three times a week.” I wonder if she is like training, or like competing, and if so, is it three times, or just like three times?
Ms. Wagner also says that cheerleading is definitely a sport, because there are different levels of competition and cheerleading does not depend on another sport. I don’t remember having ever seen a cheerleading-only event in college, or professional sports. I only saw cheerleaders AT sporting events.
Usually, to my knowledge and I might be wrong, but cheerleaders accompany the football or basketball teams to the field, and fill space when the sporting action is at a lull. I wonder what the different levels of competition are called, minors/majors, triple or double A cheer or farm team cheer? If cheerleading IS a sport, there needs to be some investigation into possible discrimination, because I have never heard of a cheerleader agent or scout, and cheerleading scholarships seem to be given only by merchandise companies. If cheerleading is really a sport, and I just don’t know it, I sure think there needs to be some good salesperson/manager/agent would be looking after the interests of these athletes.
Does cheerleading have a scoring system at every game? Do I call it a game, or a contest, a gathering, a cheer-out, or cheer-off? Is there a pre-set time limit for competition? Are there any referees?
I know cheerleaders have uniforms, and that they seem to be fairly coordinated in their, uh, cheering? But I can like, cheer from the stands. I can wear a uniform, make noise, jump up and down while I look away from the game going on, so by association, as well as using the, like facts, that Ms. Wagner does, assume that I have invented a sport also, I call it: “Sitting and watching my favorite game in person, while I annoy everyone in the stands while drinking a beer.” There are no referees or judges, I have as little or as much time as I want for a competition, I can change my shoes for different weather, so my shoes will be specifically designed, and if I bring my kids, we have a squad.
Now to some facts: NCAA has yet to recognize cheerleading as a sport. See www.thegatepost.com/archives/s05/s05–121.html. Framington State College, in Massachusetts uses cheerleading to fulfill its Title IX requirement by equalizing the number of female and male athletic programs to maintain Federal funding levels. Notice the different between athletic program and sports. The NCAA recognizes the difference, and will not sanction federal funding of cheerleading programs. Instead, the schools must use Title IX funding, which is a state funding system. Title IX was enacted to insure that financial contributions to male programs were equalized to match the needed funding for female programs. Many schools increase the size of cheerleading programs to prevent having to cut other male programs.
I mean no disrespect to the folks who are swearing at me right now. I took advantage of Ms. Wagner’s use of the English language, because it diluted the points she was attempting to make. I applaud her passion in asserting that cheerleading is a sport. Just because we believe one thing does not make it necessarily a fact. To the cheerleaders: If it is not recognized as you want it to be, don’t argue the point, get it changed and eliminate all argument!
Ben Anderson, Gilroy
