Is cheerleading a legitimate sport or not? I think it deserves genuine support

It should be seen as adjacent to gymnastics, but then it's also in the dance area, so it's kind of in a venn diagram of sport and dance/performance.

Is it trying to be recognised as a sport in the Olympics? Or for funding purposes? As long as it has it's own following and competition and structure then does it matter whether it's classed as sport, dance, performance?

I’m a cheer Mum! The training, discipline, choreography, time, cost definitely a sport in my bias eyes. Dd does oodles of strength training as a base goes to the gym twice a week plus PE at school. Trains twice a week, 3 if there’s a competition coming up. What I like about it is it’s for everyone whatever your height age or size.

because it has its roots - however different it is arguably now - in activity that objectified women for the gaze of men?

They have line judges who are there to determine if the rules have been followed correctly.

They don't judge who wins. The person who wins has jumped the highest or thrown the furthest.

A lot of people on this post (and in general) don’t realise there are different types of cheerleading - the Dallas cowboys and stereotypical cheerleaders we see in American movies who dance with Pom poms and cheer on the team are performing sideline cheer, they are vey talented and use a lot of skill but it is not the same as All star cheer which is a recognise ls sport in the UK and has competitions with defined rules and scoring systems. All star cheer teams are not actually cheering for anyone in particular but are combining gymnastics, dance and tumbling.

My dd’s both do All star cheer, they work really hard and the skill level at the competitions we’ve been to is amazing. I fail to see what is ‘not feminist’ about it as previous posters have so confidently stated, even though they know nothing about it?

high jump, shot put and things like that have judges too, right? With a single measure to determine who wins.

But most cheer leaders aren’t cheering on a sport. They ARE the sport. My DD will be thrilled that she’s being compared to a hot dog vendor, at least she’d be earning some money 😂

Yes it does, it's competitive cheerleading. I know this as I used to be a flyer. It's statistically one of the most dangerous sports in the world because it's so fast, physical and complex when it comes to executing set moves. You have to have huge trust in your bases to not drop you, catch you incorrectly, etc.

Competitive cheerleading is completely different from what the Dallas cheerleaders do. They are dancing. We and teams like ours were stunting teams. It's basically team gymnastics.

‘Also all full of sexist stereotypes affecting both the men and women dancers / gymnasts.’

Whilst I’m not exercised about whether it’s a sport or not I agree. I know I’m an old feminist but don’t get women want to take part in cheer or pole dancing which to my mind completely perpetuate sexual stereotypes no matter how much they claim not to

Not by me.

Anything with judges, rather than referees, isn't really a sport..

There are some individual ballet competitions, just not enough people participating or interested in paying to spectate to make it big (= sport).

When dd did gymnastics, they had to keep smiling through their floor routine. They could also get deducted if their hair wasn’t right or their underwear could be seen. Yet gymnastics is considered a sport.

How could ballet be a sport? What is the scoring method and who wins? No one gets a medal for being the best swan at the end of the performance. Although maybe that should be introduced it might make it less dull.

Cheering leading is no more a sport than hot dog vending or being a mascot. They are just there to enhance the atmosphere for the sport.

definitely a legit sport

Actually, most gymnastics isn’t primarily performance. And Netflix cheer is essentially group gymnastics.

The following are all forms of dance, IMO, it’s participation levels in organised competition that makes some a ‘sport’.

Dallas Cowboys cheer
Netflix ‘Cheer’ cheer.
ballet
ice dancing
Gymnastics
Synchronised swimming.

All require athleticism and are technical, and are primarily about performance. Also all full of sexist stereotypes affecting both the men and women dancers / gymnasts.

At some UK universities - & I imagine universal rule - Cheer receives funding as a sport, competitive dance does not.

Circus.

Darts is a sport. Tiddlywinks, yes. Dominoes and Scrabble, no.

I think it's silly that chess is considered a sport, yes. Sport should involve some element of physical exertion or co-ordination. You can play chess by post! Anything you can do by post is not a sport!

No chess is definitely not a sport either. Nor is darts, tiddlywinks, that cheese race in Gloucestershire, or competitive over-eating.

That could be training for a circus act.

It's clearly physically intense and highly skilled. That doesn't make it a sport.

These teams are made up of phenomenal athletes who train year round & compete. It is absolutely a sport, it's too physical not to be surely? Entirely different from the US school/college teams who actively cheer at football games. As a PP said if these teams were entirely male it would have been a recognised sport from the get go.

All of the above qualities are part of high-level dance.

Dancing isn't sport.

The criterion mentioned up thread - "anything where you get extra marks for smiling isn't a sport" - is genius.

No, it’s not a sport, but my granddaughter did it, and it was fun. 👍