“Cheerleading isn’t a sport!”
I have heard that a million times before. Hell, until 2001, a much younger, thinner me with more hair, better jawline, fewer cares, no bills, the weight of the world not quite on my shoulders, the world was my oyst…. Sorry kind of snowballed there...
Anyway, until 2001 I probably would have said the same thing based on my experience with cheerleading. Then a combination of balls, ego, and happenstance got me on the inaugural University of Regina cheer team. Before then I saw the dance squads, the pep teams, the girls with their pompoms throwing kicks as players ran by them, the holding up cards leading the crowd in chants, but I never truly understood what power cheerleading was.
I got a hard lesson in what it took to be a cheerleader: power, flexibility, balance, timing. Sure, I learned some of those traits playing hockey, volleyball, basketball, baseball, track, badminton, curling, and karate, but this was a whole different animal. It was difficult but I picked it up as fast as I could and began to enjoy it.
Cheerleading became a big part of my life. Not only was I the first male on the first U of R team, I was asked to help start the first All-Star team in Regina, the Capital Cheer Rebels, and despite changing gyms a few times and new ownership that program is still going strong today. I was at the first Saskatchewan Cheerleading Association meetings when it was trying to get itself off the ground. These things needed to be put in place to be officially recognised as a sport provincially and nationally, and I was happy to play a minuscule part.
So, this week when the International Olympic Committee announced that Cheerleading was getting provisional recognition for 3 years and then after that could apply to be in the Olympics, I was thrilled. Then I went on Twitter. I should have known better, I really should have. One day I will go to social media to get good news and see that people can accept change… that day still hasn’t happened.
From “If cheerleading is a sport they need to get rid of medals and just use participation ribbons” to complaining that there were several “real sports” not recognised. When questioned, the keyboard warriors softened their stance and admitted that cheerleaders are athletes but “Cheerleading isn’t a sport.”
Well ya it kind of is, logically that is why it received provisional recognition from the IOC. And if you still have trouble believing that is a reason enough to call it a sport lets check with our good friends at dictionary.com.
"An athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often competitive in nature..." Nothing about defence, nothing about judges, nothing about it not being "manly" enough. So to those in “Cheerleading isn’t a sport” crowd… Yes, yes, it most certainly is and soon enough it could be golden.
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