Cheerleading
The Debate: Is it a sport or activity? Cheerleader: a person who is a member of a group (typically a group of young women) who shouts out special songs or chants to encourage the team and entertain the crowd during a game in sports like American football and basketball (Merriam-Webster). In the beginning, cheerleaders did what they were known to do. They led cheers, with spirit and megaphones, for the crowd to follow. Then, as time went on, cheerleading evolved into co-ed teams, high-flying stunts, which brought about how cheerleaders are perceived today. In the past ten to fifteen years, cheerleading has grown with the number of people who participate and the quality of how they perform their skills. Cheerleading is a sport based …show more content…
They see what the athletes can do, but don’t see it as what it should be. They like to say that cheerleaders do not engage in enough competitions for it to become a sport. Alyssa Roenigk, senior writer for ESPN and former University of Florida cheerleader states, “If cheerleading squads began practicing and competing enough to satisfy those requirements, they would be forced to drastically scale back the number of games at which they cheer. Or stop cheering at games entirely. The minute that happens, rest in peace, cheerleading.” It shouldn’t matter how much an athlete competes. However, what should make it a sport is the skills they perform and in the setting they perform them. “The competition at high school and collegiate national championships -- some of which are aired on ESPN -- is incredible, but these events take place only once per year,” continues Roenigk. Just because competitions are televised once a year does not prove that it is not a sport. There are many competitions throughout the year that the athletes can attend. As a result, an athletic competition is an event that shouldn't have to be constantly watched, through technology or in person, for someone to determine its worthiness as a …show more content…
Sports related trauma in cheerleading can be associated with a heavy amount of weight. Due to the increased weight and the skillset of the athlete, there is often a significant increase in injuries. In a narrative review about cheerleading, the following was provided, “ Cases found in the literature include splenic rupture in a 16-year-old female from being tossed in the air and caught; coxa saltans/snapping hip syndrome in a 16-year-old high school cheerleader due to overuse from twisting maneuvers of the hip; bilateral ganglion cysts and triangular fibrocartilage tears in a 19-year-old cheerleader that developed gradually over four years from ulnar abutment syndrome; and a 17-year-old cheerleader who sustained bilateral ACL tears on an awkward drop landing.” (Bagnulo, page 6, paragraph 3). Although injuries can be caused without a heavy weight, the most severe are when a mass is involved. Injuries can occur if, or when, an athlete doesn't complete a stunt or skill the proper way. “At Children’s Hospital Colorado, we recognize that cheerleading has evolved into an activity requiring more athleticism and high-level skills than ever. Gymnastic moves now frequently replace previous cheerleading styles, and the difficulty of stunts has led to an increase in cheerleading-related injuries.”(Children’s Hospital Colorado Orthopedics Institute, paragraph 2) Due to the level of difficulty
The Debate: Is it a sport or activity? Cheerleader: a person who is a member of a group (typically a group of young women) who shouts out special songs or chants to encourage the team and entertain the crowd during a game in sports like American football and basketball (Merriam-Webster). In the beginning, cheerleaders did what they were known to do. They led cheers, with spirit and megaphones, for the crowd to follow. Then, as time went on, cheerleading evolved into co-ed teams, high-flying stunts, which brought about how cheerleaders are perceived today. In the past ten to fifteen years, cheerleading has grown with the number of people who participate and the quality of how they perform their skills. Cheerleading is a sport based …show more content…
They see what the athletes can do, but don’t see it as what it should be. They like to say that cheerleaders do not engage in enough competitions for it to become a sport. Alyssa Roenigk, senior writer for ESPN and former University of Florida cheerleader states, “If cheerleading squads began practicing and competing enough to satisfy those requirements, they would be forced to drastically scale back the number of games at which they cheer. Or stop cheering at games entirely. The minute that happens, rest in peace, cheerleading.” It shouldn’t matter how much an athlete competes. However, what should make it a sport is the skills they perform and in the setting they perform them. “The competition at high school and collegiate national championships -- some of which are aired on ESPN -- is incredible, but these events take place only once per year,” continues Roenigk. Just because competitions are televised once a year does not prove that it is not a sport. There are many competitions throughout the year that the athletes can attend. As a result, an athletic competition is an event that shouldn't have to be constantly watched, through technology or in person, for someone to determine its worthiness as a …show more content…
Sports related trauma in cheerleading can be associated with a heavy amount of weight. Due to the increased weight and the skillset of the athlete, there is often a significant increase in injuries. In a narrative review about cheerleading, the following was provided, “ Cases found in the literature include splenic rupture in a 16-year-old female from being tossed in the air and caught; coxa saltans/snapping hip syndrome in a 16-year-old high school cheerleader due to overuse from twisting maneuvers of the hip; bilateral ganglion cysts and triangular fibrocartilage tears in a 19-year-old cheerleader that developed gradually over four years from ulnar abutment syndrome; and a 17-year-old cheerleader who sustained bilateral ACL tears on an awkward drop landing.” (Bagnulo, page 6, paragraph 3). Although injuries can be caused without a heavy weight, the most severe are when a mass is involved. Injuries can occur if, or when, an athlete doesn't complete a stunt or skill the proper way. “At Children’s Hospital Colorado, we recognize that cheerleading has evolved into an activity requiring more athleticism and high-level skills than ever. Gymnastic moves now frequently replace previous cheerleading styles, and the difficulty of stunts has led to an increase in cheerleading-related injuries.”(Children’s Hospital Colorado Orthopedics Institute, paragraph 2) Due to the level of difficulty