Is Cheerleading a Sport? Let a Judge Decide.

Have you ever debated whether cheerleading is an actual sport? Why not ask a judge? A trial in Connecticut will answer that same question, as a college women's volleyball team is suing the school for dismantling their team for a cheerleading squad. The case will decide whether cheerleading contributes to Title IX requirements as a sport.

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/connecticut-trial-determine-cheerleading-sport/story?id=10972950

 

Don't get me started.

 

I'm actually looking forward to this ruling.

 

Pretty interesting look at the subject from "Penn & Teller: Bullshit!" last week.

 

The only problem I see with the issue is cheerleading - at least here anyway - it is the only high school "sport" that runs the entire year.
The WVSSAC has a state cheer competition every year, which this year included a legal challenge, injunction and subsequent three-week delay, but girls are members of the cheerleading team the entire school year.
There is no break.
Unlike volleyball, basketball, or football, cheerleaders go from football season to basketball season followed by the state cheer competition... So that's about nine months. Double, almost triple the time other athletes put into a sport.
I think you could almost argue cheerleading should equal two sports- given the season's longevity.

BTW: Cheerleading should be considered a sport for title IX purposes. But a sport -as in on the sports pages? - no.

 

The answer to this question comes down to who is setting the criteria. This case would be really interesting if any sports writers are called to testify.

 

Would cheerleader moms be called as rebuttal witnesses?

 

The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled last year that not only is cheerleading is a sport, it's a contact sport, because there "is a significant amount of physical contact between cheerleaders." (Bow chicka bow wow.) The issue was whether a female cheerleader could sue the male spotter who dropped her, the school and the school's insurance company over her injuries. The Wisconsin Supreme Court said no, because there is a law in the state that grants immunity from lawsuit for unintentional injuries in contact sports, and cheerleading is a contact sport.

 

They're not objective.

 

I can imagine that if the court rules cheerleading is a sport, all the newspapers in Connecticut will be innudated with calls from cheerleader parents claiming that the court ruling means the papers MUST cover their cheerleading competitions from now on.

 

Was there a cheerleader looking to sue the school and her spotter?
Glad the courts knocked that out.