If I were to ask any athletes what the word sport means to them, I guarantee that they are going reply a hard working, sweat drenching, and  physically draining activity. Which, they are correct. However, if I asked the athletes what kind of activity is not a sport, most would say cheerleading. Which, they are incorrect. Cheerleading is not an activity. Cheerleading is a sport.

Every cheerleader gets fired up inside when they are argued with when talking about cheerleading not being a true sport. On the other hand, what is the true definition of a sport? A sport is a physical activity that requires talent, physical agility, dedication, time, a team, and/or a coach. It also is governed by a set of rules, requires practice and is often competitive, yet occasionally played for recreation. Cheerleading fits into all these categories, but is still considered an activity. Cheerleading is a sport.

I suppose, when cheerleading once was a delicate, ditzy activity; for the rowdy young teens, it would be considered such an activity. Although, the role has changed from those times to what they are now. Here at Chapman High School half the girls have their wrists wrapped so tight it cuts off their circulation. Nevertheless, their only concern is the flyer they are elevating ten feet in the air. In today’s cheerleading, it’s not just about how pretty the cheerleader looks pumping up the crowd, but pumping up the crowd with jaw dropping stunts. That makes the crowd oblivious to the game. Cheerleading is not a activity.

Being a cheerleader requires an enormous amount of coordination. Without coordination, the millions of stunts and cheer motions that are acquired in cheering would look like a fish out water. Cheerleaders are looked at as very preppy teens with a bunch of spirit, so it’s our job to show them that. We do everything with a smile on our face, and the confidence in our hearts for the team that we cheer for. Multi-tasking is a cheerleader’s best friend. Can you scream a cheer, while holding a girl’s life in your hands, and still show your pearly whites? Not many can.  Cheer requires a massive amount of talent.

An important talent that all cheerleaders and athletes need to have is the attitude of a role model. The little kids that look up to us need to be shown good examples and they need the encouragement to do better, so they can be just like us when they grow up. Cheerleaders wear their uniforms at every game, all day long. We stick out like a sore thumb, which makes us be on our best behavior at all the times. Everyone knows our faces, unlike the football players that are covered up with masks. Even outside of our cheer uniforms we are watched to be the best students, human beings, and role models we can be.

Imagine this, flying in the air spinning, tucking, and flipping, then wondering if the people that threw you that high are going to catch you. Physical agility is a major part in cheerleading, especially if you want to be known as the best squad in the area. Agility requires skilled quick and easy movements. We use three strong girls or guys, to lift one strong, brave girl into the air, to catch her again in our arms. Cheerleading is not an activity.

Broken bones, concussions, sprained ankles, and bumps and bruises are all normal for the average cheerleader. Cheerleading is number two in catastrophic injuries when compared to all sports; only American football ranks higher. The growing facts that cheerleaders have gotten so many major injuries, cheer foundations around the states have made many injury prevention rules. How does an activity that is not a real sport, have rules for safety? If this activity is dangerous enough to have rules, why isn’t it a sport? Cheerleading is a sport.

The average time and dedication for a high school sports team is about 12.5 hours a week. That amount of time allows each team to learn the right plays to win their game every week. However, since cheer is an activity we get half the time an average team gets. How is that fair? Cheerleading is a new activity on an international rise in popularity. ESPN has a week long showing of a  National Cheer Competition where cheerleaders from around the world compete for a national title. Although, those competitions are for the elite squads, high school squads can compete for just as amazing titles, but at smaller competitions. These competitions have the same competitive cut-throat style, just like any other sports game. Cheerleaders compete to win, making rivals at each competition we are challenged at. However, for the cheer squads that don't compete, they still put the time and dedication into their practices. During the time outs and half-times are when they shine with their best stunts and small routines. Cheerleading is not an activity.

The idea behind cheer is the same as numerous other sports. Cheerleading consists of a competitive mix of gymnastics and dance, as well as many other strengths and cardiovascular components. The sideline squads that lead fans in school fight songs, to high-powered, complex, acrobatic shows, just to motivate the crowd, shows that cheering is more than a simple activity. Cheerleading has every component to be known as a sport, yet the term activity is what we are known for. As long as we keep the determination, cheerleading will one day be known as a sport.