Welcome to a different perspective on sports. Up to this point, the Athlete's Connection has not included cheerleading as one of the activities that we cover. Beginning with this article there will be weekly submissions that cover various aspects of cheerleading, from different participant perspectives to competition highlights.
If any of you readers out there want to comment on articles or make article submissions yourself, please do.
To give a little insight on my thoughts about cheerleading, I’d like to start by saying that I do not consider school cheerleading a sport. WAIT! I’m not saying that cheerleaders aren’t athletes, just that cheering for your school team isn’t a sport.
Why? The primary focus of a cheerleading squad is not to compete, rather to support. To do this effectively, especially the way the activity has evolved, you must be a highly skilled, extremely specialized, incredibly fit athlete. The difference is the primary purpose. Cheerleaders don’t have games, meets, matches, etc. in which the priority is to win.
The cheerleaders priority is to rally the crowd and support the team. This idea isn’t intended to be negative in any way, only to clearly explain what a cheerleader does.
It is worth noting however, that many school programs do allow their cheerleaders to participate in local, regional and even national competitions. The opportunity to display their athleticism and earn their own recognition as true athletes is a valuable addition to a traditional program.
With that being said, there is competitive cheerleading. This evolution of the activity is based in a private facility, often times as part of a gymnastics program, and the primary focus is competition. In this instance I would say these athletes are participating in a sport.
The Sideline Superheroes feature will not only cover the traditional role of a school cheerleader, but also look at the competitive aspect of things.
I understand that these two ideas may sound conflicting on the surface but, as we delve into these feature articles, I hope what is brought to light is the tremendous athleticism involved in both types of cheerleading.
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Do male cheerleaders obtain athletic scholarships? I cheered with a couple of men who were considered effeminate for their roles as cheerleaders. Are these stereotypes still very much alive? How is it that male cheerleaders at the high school levels are ridiculed (this is merely personal observation), but are somehow seen more as athletes at the post-secondary level? From where do these "cool" male cheerleaders arise -- from out of the woodwork, or do the same "effeminate cheerleaders" morph into masculine beings whose muscular physiques nonchalantly toss the female cheerleaders into the air?
Are cheering competitions taking the place of high school gymnastics teams, which have been dropped by many schools for liability reasons?
I anxiously await Ms. Hargrove's next installment and am curious as to how other current and former cheerleaders, coaches, and scholarship committees perceive this form of athletic participation.