Cheerleading: a Sport or Not?

The purpose of this research paper is to find out whether cheerleading is really a sport. We chose this topic because of our involvement and interest in cheerleading. Our definition of cheerleading is a sport in which both males and females use both gymnastics and cheering at the same time. People do not believe it is a sport but a recreational activity. We feel that we should prove that it is a sport for the sake of all cheerleaders.

Cheerleading is often referred to as a recreational activity. We can say it was a recreational activity when it first started, but it has outgrown that category. Our topic is "Is Cheerleading a Sport?" We want to prove that cheerleading is a sport because to us it is. It is now widely known through out America and is all over ESPN. Cheerleading should officially be considered a sport.

Cheerleading started during a football game at Princeton. The crowd was chanting loudly and together for their team. While no one is exactly sure about the date, it is said to have started in the 1880s. After that, cheering for your team became popular and organizations started to form. 100 years later competitions for cheerleading started. These competitions where not about who could scream the loudest and who could make up the best chant, but it became about who can do the best stunts and have the most solid pyramid. Coordination is key for cheerleaders.
The dictionary states that a sport is an activity involving physical activity and competing. That means that you have to do something athletic and you have to compete. Things like basketball and football are easily defined as sports because of what they involve. The definition of cheerleading, "a recreational activity in which persons cheer for their home team" seems to fit better with how cheerleading was when it started at Princeton. A recreational activity is defined as an activity someone does in their spare time and does not have much impact.