Why cheerleading is a sport
By Aria Thomas
Picture this: You fly into the air and twist as you come down. Your bases catch you. You’re at ease. You hit your stunt! Thankfully, you are not like the other 18,908. That is the amount of hospital visits due to cheerleading in 2023. Many people think cheer is not a sport, but here is my proof. The definition of a sport is, “an activity involving physical effort, and skill in which an individual or team competes against another for entertainment”. Cheerleading is so much more than a sideline gig with pom poms!
Cheerleading only became an official sport in 2021. However, cheer traces back to the 19th century. One of cheerleading’s main aspects is tumbling. This requires the athlete to flip upside down, making it LOOK easy, although it is very difficult. You might not think it is hard, but you probably should not try it without any training because I don’t think it was on anyone’s agenda to go to the hospital today! Like I was saying, tumbling is extremely difficult, and it can take months or even years to perfect one skill. This shows how just tumbling alone is difficult. And I can tell you one thing, this is NOT the only part of cheer.
Another main aspect of cheerleading is stunting. Stunting requires one or more athletes to fly into the air and then held by 3 to 4 people. Stunting can be dangerous, but, when you get the hang of it, it can surely be fun! On average, about 53% of injuries due to cheerleading come from stunting. There are many types of stunts. One, the most common, is the elite stunt. An elite stunt needs 4 to 6 athletes: A back spot, main base, side base, flyer and front spot, depending on how difficult the stunt is. Next, the pyramid is a popular stunt. Pyramids require more people. For beginner pyramids you need 3 to 5 people and for more advanced pyramids you need 8 to 10. Lastly, there is a one man. One man’s use 2 to 3 people, meaning you are being help up in the air by only ONE PERSON! Stunting is just another amazing, but difficult, part of cheer.
In conclusion, cheerleading involves physical effort and skill, along with providing entertainment. Next time you want to say that cheer is NOT a sport, just respect how hard cheerleaders DO work. Always remember, “a good cheerleader is not measured on the height of her jump, but by the span of her spirit.”
Thank you!