Is Cheerleading a Sport?

Cassidy Nash
​PrideTime Reporter

After going around the school asking if cheer should be considered a sport, the results were mixed, but eventually, everybody ended up thinking it should be considered a sport.

The Oxford Dictionary defines a sport as “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.”

“When I think of cheerleading I think of those who cheer on the sports teams, not an actual sport.” Maggie Sovak (‘21)

Technically speaking cheerleading fits the definition of a sport in a sense. The majority of high school cheer teams are competitive and all college cheer teams compete. There are divisions of cheer just like other sports [D1, D2, D3]

“Cheerleading is more than just dancing, we also stunt and jump which gives us the whole aspect of being a sport.” (Daisy Restrepo ‘21)

Around the school, many students feel that cheer shouldn’t be considered a sport, but after telling people, like Sovak,  the definition of a sport their perspectives changed for the better.

“After hearing the definition I do think that cheerleading is a sport and I now understand why cheerleaders are so passionate about their sport because it would be frustrating to hear that something you work so hard at is minimized and criticized by people who disagree.” (Maggie Sovak ‘21)

Many cheerleaders feel offended when people don’t think of cheer as a sport for obvious reasons.

“I know why cheerleaders are passionate about it being a sport because I was a cheerleader for three years. We’re passionate about it [making sure cheer is considered a sport] because many people think it doesn’t involve physical activity, and it makes us a little frustrated.” (Sydney Mouzon ‘20)

Many others, like Sydney, want their sport to be put on the map of one of the toughest athletic options out there. Current cheer member Daisy Restrepo feels that her team works especially very hard to compete and win championship titles in States and FCIACs.

“I hope that we get top three at all of our competitions this year because we’ve improved so much over such a small amount of time.”

Now that the mechanics of cheer has been broken down, it should be considered a sport all around the U.S. to give the girls, and guys, some credit.