TheNewYorkTimesstatesthatcheerleadingisthefastestgrowinggirls'sport,yetmorethanhalfofAmericansdonotbelieveitisasport.Inaddition,theyfailtodistinguishbetweensidelinecheerleadersandprofessionalones.Sidelinechee
TheNewYorkTimesstatesthatcheerleadingisthefastestgrowinggirls'sport,yetmorethanhalfofAmericansdonotbelieveitisasport.Inaddition,theyfailtodistinguishbetweensidelinecheerleadersandprofessionalones.Sidelinecheerleaders'maingoalistoentertainthecrowdandleadthemwithteamcheers,whichshouldnotbeconsideredasport.Ontheotherhand,professionalcheerleadersaimtocompete.
Asport,accordingtotheAssociationofCheerleadingCoachesandAdvisors,isa"physicalactivityagainstacompetitor,governedbyrulesunderwhichawinnerisdeclared,andtheprimarypurposeofthecompetitionisacomparisonoftherelativeskillsoftheparticipants."Becausecheerleadingfollowstheseguidelines,itisasport.
Competitivecheerleadingincludeslotsofphysicalactivity.Likegymnasts,cheerleadersmustlearntotumble(翻滚).Theyperformstandingbackflips,roundflipflops,andfulllayouttwists.Cheerleadersalsoperformliftsandtosses.Thisiswherethe"fliers"arethrownintheair,heldby"bases"indifferentpositionsthatrequirestrengthandcooperationwithotherteammates.
Justasbasketballandfootballhaveguidelinesforcompetitiveplay,sodoescompetitivecheerleading.Thewholeroutinehastobecompletedinlessthanthreeminutesand15secondsandthecheerleadersarerequiredtostaywithinacertainarea.
Competitivecheerleaders'goalistobethebest.Justlikegymnasts,theyareawardedpointsfordifficulty,technique,creativityandsharpness.Themoredifficultamountorastunt,thesharperandmorein-syncthemotions,thebetterthescore.Cheerleadingisateamsportsowithoutcooperationandsynchronization,firstplaceisoutofreach.
SowhydomanyAmericansnotthinkcheerleadingisasport?Itcannotbebecausecheerleadersdonotuseballsormanipulateobjects(ifyoudonotcountmegaphones,pompomsandsignsasobjects).Wrestling,swimming,diving,track,cross-country,gymnastics,ice-skatingandboxingarerecognizedsportsthatdonotuseballs.Somepeoplearguethatcheerleadersarejust"flirtsinskirts"withtheironlyjobtoentertainthecrowd,butcheerleaderstodaycompeteagainstothersquadsandworkjustashar

