is cheerleading a sport?

You never know...but you go first, Gargamel!

Just try to kidnap the skinny ones.

Fat people are pretty hard to kidnap.

Cheerleading is a sport, but it's a stupid one.


It's just so...sad.

cheerleading is not a sport.
watching cheerleaders, however, is a sport...

Watching cheerleaders....and picking them up in chatrooms is a sport, too!

(I'm JuZchiLLin)

JuZchiLLin: Hey! Whatz up? LOL

Cheerleader90: Nuthin much, homework, my teacher is stoopid

JuZchiLLin: Ya. Homework, YUCK! Hillary Duff, YAY!!! I like, so hate my teacher!

Cheerleader90: LOL!

JuZchiLLin: Hey, uh, I lost my puppy, want to come meet me at the park to find him?

Cheerleader90: Sure! My parents are stupid.

See, it's fun!

announcer's voice: what Slappy DOESN'T know is that the role of Cheerleader90
is being played by this guy --> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

we'll be back right after these important words with more wacky hi-jinx on Candid Chatroom...

I have on many instances taken the occasional armchair quarterback to task on the assertion that dirt bike racing is not a sport.
Having raced motocross, and played college volleyball, high school football, provincial level squash, soccer, as well as taken part in high level downhill mountain biking and rock climbing--I would without hesitation place dirt bike racing at the very top of my list in terms of physical and mental demand, and risk.

On the topic of cheerleading, if, by definition, a "sport" is that which has a video game, then banging prostitutes, stealing cars and shooting pedestrians are all "sports"...a contention we would surely dismiss.
Now I have had the luxury of attending cheerleading competitions, and I have seen first hand the physical and mental demand placed on the competitors. Now, we may dismiss the "cheering" aspect as a non-sport, but the throwing and balancing would definately fall into the category of athleticism.

Since sporting channels now broadcast poker, and have shown darts for years...would you place these activities higher in the pyramid of sportsdom than cheerleading?

The video game comparison was a JOKE. Ever hear of sarcasm? Good example, right there.

How the hell is dirt bike racing not high on risk? Are you serious?

Darts and poker are games. Not sports.

Cheerleading isn't even a game, it's a competition. So does it have to be a game to be a sport? Guess not. It falls into the same category as figure skating, gymnastics, ect...so in all seriousness when you look at the competition aspect, yes it's a sport.

Region, so Gus is a 15 year old cheerleader? KeWl!

nah, but he plays one on tv...

It was at the top of my list for risk.
I am serious.

I don't like the implicit correlation in this discussion of

sports=important and legitimate
non-sports=unimportant and worthless

Cheerleading, especially what it has come to be today, is great in terms of it's emphasis on skill, discipline, teamwork, and competition. I think it's a bummer, though, that it's SO tied to football; marching band is similar in this respect.

I'd call it a discipline more than a sport, but something being categorized as a sport says nothing about its virtues or its legitimacy, especially when one considers sad state of present-day professional american sports.

I agree with what you said, subtleone.

But I also think that cheerleading is aimed more at pleasing all the greasy, middle-aged men than girls. Why not put a kid in a sport that stands on its own? When it comes really down to it...cheerleading is....well, cheerleading.

When I was in highschool I could have been a cheerleader, but I thought: why in the world would I do that, when I can be recognized as an athlete right along with the boys? How can you be taken seriously when you've got a smile plastered on your face, and you're going raw raw tommy!? LOL

Just seems weird to me. Jumping around in little skirts kinda takes away from the athleticism. It draws the eye elsewhere.

Cheerleading in professional sports: NOT a sport.

High school cheerleading with it's competitions is a sport.

I've always wished they would do something with cheerleading that at least regulated it somehow - in the sense that all cheerleading coaches would have to adopt certain safety guidlines. And strickly follow them.

When I was in school, we did have endurance training. Jogging and weight training being the biggest part of our work outs. As well as dance routines. Our warm - ups were pretty extensive stretching techniques. As were cool downs.

Still ........nothing can really stop you from falling off a pyramid if someone below you makes a mistake. I had my left knee cap pushed over to the side of my leg after a fall. I'm sure part of it was my own inexperience at the time. I've seen girls fracture their hand after a tumbling pass. Or their ankle after a back tuck.

It may not be a sport ..... but there can be a high price to pay when mistakes are made. And they always are.

I have alot of respect for cheerleading as a whole. Believe it or not ...it can be pretty grueling.

Thumbs up to all you cheerleaders out there.

Thanks Brooke. That means a lot.

Good post, Brooke.

Holy Crap, justa-babbling.......

that picture (if it's you) looks just like that chick off Train 48. LOL.

Anybody that think cheerleading isnt a sport can kiss my butt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All cheerleaders arent girly girls! I play softball and basketball! I Have got hurt plenty of time cheerleading so yes it is a sport!
Most sport reporters say it is one of the hardest and dangerest sports!!!!!!!!

Cheer leading if it is a sport, would be at the most bottom of the 'Sport' list I would say, to me it looks like a cross between Gymnastics and Pole Dancing!....