Cheerleading is not a sport
Disclaimer: I have an opinion. If you are against people having their own opinions, please don't read.
I am tired of people calling it a sport. It is not a sport.
Well, I suppose I have to define my definition of a sport. Sport is a competition in which people use their physical abilities in opposition to achieve something/win the game.
Now, you may look at cheerleading and see that there are things about it that qualify it as a sport-- according to my definition.
Yes, it requires great physical ability. And yes, there is an achievement. But there's one thing that separates it from other sports: no clear outcome.
If you take a look at other sports out there, you can easily look at the rules and have a simple determining factor to decide the winner. In basketball, put the ball in the hoop gives you points. In hockey, put the puck in the net to score. In track and field, first one to cross the finish line wins. In these sports, scoring more or finishing first determines a winner. In cheerleading, you don't have that.
No cheer leader can score points on their own. Judges give out points.
Unfortuntaely like gymnastics and figure skating, it has become a glorified dance competition in which judges determine a winner. The athletes can't determine the outcome themselves.
Judges are like referees, right? No. Referees are there to enforce the rules. That's their job. Judges sit there, watch the competition and determine the winner of the entire competition. You can play basketball without referees... like a pick up game. You can't have a pick up cheerleading game. It doesn't work that way.
And that is what makes it hard for me to accept cheerleading as a sport. Just because it involves a lot of physical ability, doesn't necessarily make it a sport. Because if we look at just physical ability, then I suppose piano moving is a sport.
If somehow cheerleading wasn't filled dancing to music, then it'd be easier for me to consider it a sport. If the main goal of these cheerleaders wasn't to please an audience, then it'd be easier. If the winner wasn't determined by just judges, then I'd consider it a sport.
Yes, it takes great athletic skills to do a lot of the moves. And yes, it requires a lot of teamwork to achieve certain routines. But other than that, it is very different than the other sports we see out there.
Much respect to those cheerleaders because I can't do a lot of the things they do. It takes a lot of time and effort and that's impressive. But it is so different from other sporting competitions that I can't find myself calling it a sport.
** This whole post was just a spur of the moment thing. I am not here to offend anyone... just have an opinion.
I am tired of people calling it a sport. It is not a sport.
Well, I suppose I have to define my definition of a sport. Sport is a competition in which people use their physical abilities in opposition to achieve something/win the game.
Now, you may look at cheerleading and see that there are things about it that qualify it as a sport-- according to my definition.
Yes, it requires great physical ability. And yes, there is an achievement. But there's one thing that separates it from other sports: no clear outcome.
If you take a look at other sports out there, you can easily look at the rules and have a simple determining factor to decide the winner. In basketball, put the ball in the hoop gives you points. In hockey, put the puck in the net to score. In track and field, first one to cross the finish line wins. In these sports, scoring more or finishing first determines a winner. In cheerleading, you don't have that.
No cheer leader can score points on their own. Judges give out points.
Unfortuntaely like gymnastics and figure skating, it has become a glorified dance competition in which judges determine a winner. The athletes can't determine the outcome themselves.
Judges are like referees, right? No. Referees are there to enforce the rules. That's their job. Judges sit there, watch the competition and determine the winner of the entire competition. You can play basketball without referees... like a pick up game. You can't have a pick up cheerleading game. It doesn't work that way.
And that is what makes it hard for me to accept cheerleading as a sport. Just because it involves a lot of physical ability, doesn't necessarily make it a sport. Because if we look at just physical ability, then I suppose piano moving is a sport.
If somehow cheerleading wasn't filled dancing to music, then it'd be easier for me to consider it a sport. If the main goal of these cheerleaders wasn't to please an audience, then it'd be easier. If the winner wasn't determined by just judges, then I'd consider it a sport.
Yes, it takes great athletic skills to do a lot of the moves. And yes, it requires a lot of teamwork to achieve certain routines. But other than that, it is very different than the other sports we see out there.
Much respect to those cheerleaders because I can't do a lot of the things they do. It takes a lot of time and effort and that's impressive. But it is so different from other sporting competitions that I can't find myself calling it a sport.
** This whole post was just a spur of the moment thing. I am not here to offend anyone... just have an opinion.