What NCAA Sport requires its participants to have the skills of so many different athletes? What athletes need to have the ability to flip his or her own weight, be super flexible, and even be able to pick up another human being at least 20 feet off the ground. Cheerleaders are these athletes who have to do all of things, but do not get recognized as an actual sport. In a huge arena filled with thousands of screaming fans, hundreds of anxious athletes, and thousands of some overly involved parents; and a huge national title at stake describes the weekly scenario for a competitive cheerleader. Many people like to say that cheerleading could never be a sport because all they do is cheer on other male-dominated sports right? Yet, this is not …show more content…
This idea of having a “pep squad” at games to support the team was copied at other universities in later years and eventually grew into the sport of cheerleading. “For its first 25 years cheerleading was a ‘male only’ activity. It wasn't until 1923 that the University of Minnesota introduced the first women cheerleaders at their sporting games” (History, 2014). As cheerleading has grown, the skill level and physical endurance needed for cheerleading has increased. Also, cheerleading is no longer just associated with support for the schools sporting teams; competing in cheerleading competitions has now become the main focus of the sport. In today’s time cheerleading is seen as merely a girl activity only to cheer on male dominated fields of sports, but in reality it is a coed sport that does both cheer on sports teams and compete in rigorous competitions worldwide. Cheerleaders nowadays practice almost 12 months a year 4 to 5 days a week for at least 4 hours if not more, and throughout these 4 hours their bodies are forced to endure extreme amounts of physical pain. Cheerleading has grown so much as sport from an all boys “pep squad” to a serious and more vigorous coed competitive …show more content…
Cheerleaders deserve to be treated as great athletes who put in the same time and dedication as other atheletes. According to ESPN, “In July, the University of Maryland became the first Division I-A school to recognize competitive cheerleading as a varsity sport and count it toward the its Title IX requirements” (Drehs, 2004). The University of Maryland cheerleading team is one of the most prestigious college teams, and this accomplishment is a huge step forward for college cheerleading. Cheerleading just as any other college or high school sports offers scholarships and full ride opportunities to extraordinary athletes. At schools like The University of Kentucky and Morgan State University, it is common for they’re to be at least one girl on the team to have received a full scholarship for cheerleading to attend this institution. Penn State University also offers a $1500 to some returning cheerleaders that have demonstrated good sportsmanship and leadership skills. Cheerleading exudes many of the same ideologies as other major sports and some great and influential individuals have once been cheerleaders. Through cheerleading, hardworking and physically fit athletes are born that have determination and a fierce competitive attitude. The skills learned in cheerleading can be use in other sports or just everyday life.