Why Cheer When You Can Play?

Nothing sets the Girl off like telling her that cheerleading is not a sport.

It's not.

We've been having this on-and-off again feud for the last few years. We'd state our thesis, offer rebuttals, then toss out the questions. I like to think that I am training a future jurist or simply teaching a young woman to stand her ground. But she's only 15 after all, and if you've ever tried debating a 15-year old, it always goes swimmingly well until something -- some statement -- causes it to end with a yell for "MOMMY!!!!!!" I'll get to why later....

Right now, I want to marvel at the fine argument The Girl has constructed for why cheerleading is a sport. Her position is anchored by the fact that cheerleaders compete. Agreed. If you've ever had the pleasure (or misfortune) of sitting through one of these events, you'll know the competition is as fierce as any sports contest; the routines are as choreographed as any Broadway show; the training and physical skill needed to compete even at the high school level is incredible. There's no doubt that cheerleaders are athletes. But cheerleading is not a sport.



My counter is that it's more like a form of competitive dance, in the way that figure skating and gymnastics are. Yes, I know that the last two examples are Olympic "competitions", but unlike a sport, in cheerleading one is judged on aesthetic qualities and not one's ability to race against a clock or juke a defender out of his or her Chucks on the way to an easy hoop. Cheerleading is not a head-to-head competition in the way that "sports" like football, basketball, and hockey are....



My friend and former co-worker Tracy said it best. She is a former Division 1A college cager (that's a basketball player) who knows a thing or two about sports. A few years ago, when I mentioned to her that the Girl was interested in cheerleading and wanted to try out for the high school squad, she shot back, "Why Cheer When You can Play?"

My sentiments exactly. In fact, it's the statement I use to inflame the Girl to the "MOMMY!" point whenever I feel I need to end the debate. Who says we can't learn something from neo-cons?

To all you Ariannas and Craigs out there, I say this: if you want cheerleading to be a sport, allow an opponent to make funny faces at you while performing your routine; allow your opponent to hit you with a tumbling body check while performing your stunts; allow the other team to hold their ears and yell "LA LA LA LA LA...I'M NOT LISTENING!!!!" while you vocalize your school spirit. Then, and only then, will I consider cheerleading a sport. Until then, shut up, lace 'em on, hit the hardwood or the turf, and play. That's what I did, and look how far it got me.