I understand most arguments with the statement of how cheerleading is not a sport. The majority of the people who make this statement are only the ones who know about cheering at other sporting events, they don’t see the side of cheer that actually is a sport.

The part of cheerleading that I believe to be the main component of it that makes it a sport is only competing. While cheerleaders are standing on sidelines watching other athletes play, that is no where near being considered a “sport”. But, once they have their competitions and all the different components of what is involved in it, that is the sport part.

Sport: “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another”. With only yelling to the crowd and the team being cheered on, there is no skill required. But, for a competitive cheer team, there needs to be some skill involved and practice is required.

When you are on a sports team, there needs to be a strategy involved. The strategy in this case is learning how to perform stunts and incorporate tumbling and jumps. Learning how to do these skills does not happen over night, and it takes much practice and effort.

The other part that people can argue about it not being a sport is that you need to come into contact with your opponent, and cheer competitions only have you compete against your opponent with just your team. But, that brings golfing and swimming into play since there is no physical contact (1).

It seems as if there is never going to be a definite answer to whether or not cheerleading is a sport. Cheerleading is becoming very popular that it might eventually become a sport on its own (1). In my eyes, and the eyes of others that watch the competitive aspect of cheerleading, I think that only competitive cheerleading should be considered a sport. Anyone can stand on the sideline to cheer people on, there is no skill within that but performing at a competition requires skill and strategy.

1. https://cheerleading.lovetoknow.com/Cheerleading_Is_Not_a_Sport