Is Cheerleading a sport?

[Fuzzzie]

you told me not to take my date to fast five, because it supposedly wasn't that good. She loved it. I call you a lair my good sir.

I'm glad you had fun on your date. was just my opinion.

As for the topic, I feel there is room for competitive cheerleeding somewhere. As an Olympic sport? That may be a stretch.

[Vanyali]

if cheerleading was a sport, sports stores would sell glitter.

Cheerleading is ridiculous. Cheerleading? In my olympics? Hell fuck no.

Guess you're against the glittery ice skating.

Or gymnastics.

Or anything that's more performance than anything else, as those tend to go on looks rather than beating the hell out of each other.

[Unoriginal]

if Cheerleading was a sport then why arent football players dancing on the side cheering for the cheer leaders?

yea, they are there for Moral support thats when the word cheer comes in. they lead the Cheers.

[Kraven Moorehead]

Watch the Penn & Teller: Bullshit! episode on Cheerleading.
Cheerleading is not technically a Sport but it fucking should be.

[Anthraxxxis]

Watch the Penn & Teller: Bullshit! episode on Cheerleading.
Cheerleading is not technically a Sport but it fucking should be.

If only so it can be moderated. The injuries can be very bad.

[CW]

Competitive cheerleading involves coordination, physical exertion, practice and skill, and is graded or scored based on the performances of each team.

That's pretty much the definition of a sport.

Hell, even computer games can be considered a sport these days, I see no reason why cheerleading shouldn't be.

[Rykin]

"A sport is an organized, competitive, entertaining, and skillful activity requiring commitment, strategy, and fair play, in which a winner can be defined by objective means. Generally speaking, a sport is a game based in physical athleticism."
Under that definition a cheer leading competition would definitively qualify as a sport.

[robzombay]

No. I would not allow it in the Olympics because there isn't a great way to determine winners and losers, same with figure skating.

[Shinoashi]

its competitive yes. its physically taxing yes. as far as calling it a sport, i really don't know, my opinion is no, but i dare say thats my opinion.

i feel the same way about roller blading, trick bicycling? and skateboarding, yeah they're all competitive, but i just don't consider them a sport.

[bals]

the stuff they do at most high schools? no.
the stuff they do at those competitions on espn and shit? yes.

[Cocoballs]

http://img857.imageshack.us/img857/6...heerasport.jpg

Hmmm....

[Fojos]

Anything that involves intense training is a sport. So yes, it is.

Dancing involves intense training. Dancing isn't considered a sport, cheerleading is essentially dancing.

http://img857.imageshack.us/img857/6...heerasport.jpg

Hmmm....

Pseudo-sport on that list then. :P

"A sport is an organized, competitive, entertaining, and skillful activity requiring commitment, strategy, and fair play, in which a winner can be defined by objective means. Generally speaking, a sport is a game based in physical athleticism."
Under that definition a cheer leading competition would definitively qualify as a sport.

How do you decide who wins by objective means? The score is heavily based on choreography, just like dancing, and choreography is often very subjective, just like art.

[darkwarrior42]

What defines Cheerleading, as opposed to simple gymnastics, or even organized team gymnastics? Synchronized Swimming is considered a sport, and you could easily create a team gymnastics competition (I"ve never head of one.. if it already exists, then I just missed it and you can call me an idiot if you like :-P).

Cheerleading requires stamina, coordination, teamwork, strength... but that doesn't necessarily make it a sport. Gymnastics are a sport, so there's already precedent for activities that are displays of agility, acrobatics, flexibility, and even forms of dance being considered an olympic sport. What makes an activity cheerleading as opposed to gymnastics? And can that quality, whatever it is, be objectively judged? If yes, then I say it's a sport and have no issue with it being in the Olympics. If not... then I say no.

[Vanyali]

Dancing involves intense training. Dancing isn't considered a sport, cheerleading is essentially dancing.

Cheerleading is inbetween dancing and gymnastics, one of which is a sport and the other isn't. You could argue that a lot of the maneuvers that cheerleading does goes beyond simply dancing and pushes it more into the realm of gymnastics

[Jektar]

the stuff they do at most high schools? no.
the stuff they do at those competitions on espn and shit? yes.

I'd have to say this. If it's competitions like you see on t.v. yes. Otherwise not really.

[Kenai]

If only so it can be moderated. The injuries can be very bad.

I think that's a big reason why it isn't considered a sport now. So crap can continue going on with no real accountability for it. There would be a lot stricter rules (and safety for cheerleaders) if it were so.

I do also think if things like ice skating can make the Olympics there is no reason cheerleading shouldn't. Just because there aren't points involved doesn't mean you can't decide on a winner and loser, there are plenty of maneuvers, coordination and techniques that can be scored.

I'm not going to even give the "it's not a real sport because it's giggly girly crap" something or others the dignity of a response.

[apepi]

If chess is a sport, I guess cheerleading can be too.

This is what I think,even before I read it...

[lightgil]

is singing a sport? or jumping?

[Demonidze]

is sex is sport? should it be allowed at olympics ?

[Rukah]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outline_of_sports

---------- Post added 2011-05-09 at 01:10 PM ----------

is sex is sport? should it be allowed at olympics ?

Let's use the flow chart....
- Is it compeditive? when in groups
- Does it require physical exertion? yes
- does it have an objective? yes.. well, most of the time..


it's a sport.