All-Star Article On Espnw Says Cheer Not A Sport

[King]

If the danger level equals a sport status, then I know of lots of sports that shouldn't be there. Golf, fishing and hunting come to mind.
And you found one. I'm alone on this I'm sure, but I don't think its a sport. It's athletic - absolutely. To me a sport means offense and defense. But if sideline is a sport, then so are dance and marching band.


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Sideline is only a sport in the danger / protection necessity.

But if sports have to have an offense / defense then golf, gymnastics, ice skating, diving, and most track and field are not sports.

 

[Dixie]

But if sports have to have an offense / defense then golf, gymnastics, ice skating, diving, and most track and field are not sports.

That's why I was saying lots of sports should be reclassified. I think it needs to be athletic with a chance to play defense to the opponents offense.
And that's why I said I was alone in thinking that. I know that's not how it is, just for me.



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[King]

That's why I was saying lots of sports should be reclassified. I think it needs to be athletic with a chance to play defense to the opponents offense.
And that's why I said I was alone in thinking that. I know that's not how it is, just for me.



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Sportscenter would get a lot weirder if that happened.

 

[JMW]

But sometimes the cheerleaders are more distracting. For example, a stunt goes up that has NO business going up, but sponsor is trying to impress. Flyer falls flat back on the track. Sponsor and athletic trainer spend time with fallen flyer. EMT's end up backing up the wagon to load fallen flyer. Refs halt game for 20 minutes while this is going on. Some school squads can handle stunts like pros but others shouldn't attempt a thigh stand.

Now I'm trying to think of a "sport" that has another "sport" going on in the same field/floor/rink simultaneously. Drawing a blank.

I once saw a spectator fall down the stairs at a game. He was hurt badly, and the game was held up for 20 min while the EMTs tended to him.

I don't think spectators should be allowed to walk down stairs at games, because they might distract from the game.


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[Dixie]

Just a question...why do you think it's important in this context to differentiate between a "sport" and an athletic activity?
I hope I'm understanding your question. If not, please redirect me.
I feel lots of things that are athletic aren't sports. Yoga is athletic. Marathon runners are athletic. Marching band requires athleticism. But i don't think of those as sports. To me, sports is an athletic activity that enables one player to oppose the other. I can play defense to your offense. If I can't have a direct impact on the outcome (catch your fly ball; tackle your running back; return your serve), I see it as athletic.
Further, chess is offense and defense but not athletic in nature so it's not a sport either.
I guess it's just how I grew up. Athletic ability paired with mental offense/defense defined sport. I'm not opposed to hearing other views and possibly changing my mind, it just hasn't happened yet. Maybe this topic will do just that!

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[SL&AM]

OK, sure. If cheerleading is about crowd support how is doing a backflip necessary to crowd support?

Crowds go wild for that type of thing where I'm from.

My HS football team sucked, but our rival did not. And they took and continue to take a lot of State titles. For a few seasons, they had one girl who would start doing BHS's down the track (where they cheered with the football field inside of it and stadium style seating...think multi-million dollars sporting facility) when their team caught the ball and would run long distances to a touchdown.

When this happened, the sound in the crowd became deafening.

So, I think they help.

 

[JMW]

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No, I don't think you understood my question. My question is, in the discussion about whether something should be declared a sport for high school or college athletic associations, why does it matter if something is only an "athletic activity" and not what you define as a sport? Why does the fact that they don't play offense and defense mean that they shouldn't get the same rights and responsibilities as other athletic activities that you DO consider sports? Even if everyone agreed with your definition...why does it matter for this purpose?

After all, it is called the National Collegiate ATHLETIC Association, not the National Collegiate Sports Association.


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[Official OWECheer]

I once saw a spectator fall down the stairs at a game. He was hurt badly, and the game was held up for 20 min while the EMTs tended to him.

I don't think spectators should be allowed to walk down stairs at games, because they might distract from the game.


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I think there is a difference between that and stunting/calling a cheer (esp the wrong cheer) during a play. Most sideline teams don't understand how to fit INTO the game.

 

[Dixie]

I once saw a spectator fall down the stairs at a game. He was hurt badly, and the game was held up for 20 min while the EMTs tended to him.

I don't think spectators should be allowed to walk down stairs at games, because they might distract from the game.


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I guess I'm not on the same wave length as the rest of y'all. I'm not trying in any way to start an argument. I agree fans can get hurt at games, but they aren't asking for funding from the school to be at the game or to be classified as a sport. Fans aren't required to have insurance just to be at the game. Fans aren't tumbling and stunting during the game (hopefully). Fans aren't sitting on the field during the game. Cheerleaders often have their backs to the play and are feet away from the players and not able to see what's coming at them while in a stunt. They are at an increased risk of injury over the fan walking downstairs. I'm from a family of officials and they have run over cheerleaders, coaches, photographers, even band members on the sidelines while running and watching the play. Anyone is susceptible to injury during a game.


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[King]

No, I don't think you understood my question. My question is, in the discussion about whether something should be declared a sport for high school or college athletic associations, why does it matter if something is only an "athletic activity" and not what you define as a sport? Why does the fact that they don't play offense and defense mean that they shouldn't get the same rights and responsibilities as other athletic activities that you DO consider sports? Even if everyone agreed with your definition...why does it matter for this purpose?

After all, it is called the National Collegiate ATHLETIC Association, not the National Collegiate Sports Association.


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Core Purpose:Our purpose is to govern competition in a fair, safe, equitable and sportsmanlike manner, and to integrate intercollegiate athletics into higher education so that the educational experience of the student-athlete is paramount.

That is the NCAA mission statement. Seems like cheerleading should fall under that if it competes.

 

[Dixie]

Football officials in Texas are members of the Texas Association of Sports Officials. I guess that's where my hang up stems from. If it was the Texas Association of Athletic Officials I might have a different take on it.


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[JMW]

I think there is a difference between that and stunting/calling a cheer (esp the wrong cheer) during a play. Most sideline teams don't understand how to fit INTO the game.

Respectfully, what does calling a wrong cheer during a game have anything to do with the discussion? Dixie was making the point that cheerleaders should not be allowed to stunt because they could get injured and distract from the game.

I'm just trying to understand your point. Cheerleading should or shouldn't be considered a sport because...?


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[cheerisloving]

Crowds go wild for that type of thing where I'm from.

My HS football team sucked, but our rival did not. And they took and continue to take a lot of State titles. For a few seasons, they had one girl who would start doing BHS's down the track (where they cheered with the football field inside of it and stadium style seating...think multi-million dollars sporting facility) when their team caught the ball and would run long distances to a touchdown.

When this happened, the sound in the crowd became deafening.

So, I think they help.

My school also sucks at football but people go to games for social reasons, the fans love watching tumbling and stunts on the sidelines. Our basketball team is phenomenal, and at our games fans BEG for us to go tumble. Nothing like being in a sold out gym with yelling fans and throwing a skill to keep them going. When it's the last few minutes of the championship, the players feed off of crowd energy. Tumbling, stunt, cheers keep that up.

 

[JMW]

Football officials in Texas are members of the Texas Association of Sports Officials. I guess that's where my hang up stems from. If it was the Texas Association of Athletic Officials I might have a different take on it.


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I don't really think that answers the question. Why should an athletic activity that isn't a sport by your definition have any fewer rights and responsibilities that an athletic activity that you DO consider a sport?

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[cupieqt]

When cheerleading competitions fill up Death Valley with thousands of people paying hundreds of dollars for their seats, cheerleading will become a sport. Maybe even taken seriously by those that do not participate. We think our sport costs a lot of money? Their sports MAKE a lot of money. Therefore, they are sanctioned sports.