Cheer and dance fit the definition of ‘sport’

Bel Wilcoxen, Photo Editor

As I was Googling a definition of a sport, one of the options that appeared was: “Is cheerleading a sport.” As a high school cheerleader, that phrase is offensive, especially considering a sport is defined by Dictionary.com as “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.” If we go by that definition, then cheer and dance exhibit those characteristics and qualify as a sport.

Dance and cheer are underestimated. What people don’t understand is that cheer and dance require just as many hours of practice as every other “sport.” Participants have to have a great amount of strength and a strong physique. It is also extremely dangerous, so dangerous that dance team is banned by the state from doing something as simple as a knee drop, because it might shatter a knee.

During cheer practice when we stunt, at least one cheerleader usually gets injured, just like in other “sports.” There have been concussions, injured wrists, backs, ankles, knees and everything in between.

Even in dance there are injuries when they do their turns or drop suddenly to the floor. We all have the potential of getting seriously injured while learning new techniques. I’m not saying that to be classified as a “sport,” you must have injuries. I’m just stating that we have something in common with football, which is considered a “sport.”

Cheer and dance also require a lot of specialized skill. In cheer, you have to have the ability to throw and catch your flier, and in dance you need to be flexible.

Just like other sports, cheerleaders and dancers depend on their teams.

You have to trust your stunt group to each do their part. You have to trust your teammates to give their best during performances, and you have to trust your teammates to memorize and learn material in a certain amount of time. Just like other “sports,” we depend on each other. Without trust, we would fail miserably.

The Kansas State High School Activities Association considers dance and cheer “spirit activities,” a classification which prohibits things like not being able to put glitter on our posters. Why? We have a chance of slipping and falling. How come they don’t prohibit drinks from the gym floor? Is it because basketball and volleyball are classified as “sports?” Or is it because they believe that the cheerleaders and dancers shouldn’t risk their ability to “entertain?”

People put dance team and cheerleaders into a category. They believe we are too small, can’t handle the hard work or don’t have enough strength Those assumptions are incorrect. Haven’t we proven, by our skill, that we are strong enough to stunt and do the dangerous routines? We do stunts and tumbling that the average human can’t even attempt without difficulty.

One of the main arguments against dance and cheer being sports is the fact that they don’t play formal games.

While individual activities, such as golf and swim compete, they don’t have ordinary games, yet they’re still considered sports.

Instead of games, we have competitions that require many hours of practice. Just like other sports, we have to play or perform to the best of our abilities in order to be successful. Cheer and dance members spend many hours and sacrifice time from their daily lives like all athletes.

Cheer and dance are sports. They deserve the recognition. We deserve the classification that the other sports get. We are not considered a sport by the KSHSAA; we’re considered a spirit activity. But according to the definition from the intelligent and all-knowing Dictionary.com, cheer and dance ARE sports.