What if what were doing isn't cheerleading, what if it is something else? (serious)

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I think what the Ravens Cheerleaders do would be more of the word Cheerleading.

Agree.

Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders on the other hand, I consider DANCERS. I don't think much of what they do is cheer... at least I've never seen them do many cheer skills.

I would love for more professional football organizations to start adding in actual cheerleading squads, maybe this would help our cause and show people that this is what cheerleading is, even though it would be sideline cheer. The athletes could showcase off all of the elite skills and maybe when people see it in person, it will give them a better idea of what cheerleading is now.
 
Semantics.. words... so powerful.

What if what we are doing ISN'T cheerleading. It is a DEFINITELY sport, but it isn't cheerleading. To borrow a misquoted quote from one of those articles, we don't cheer and we don't lead. It looks and resembles cheerleading, but isn't. It has similar pieces (just like how we have floor tumbling from gymnastics, but we arent gymnastics) but those pieces done in the way we have all competed in them is NOT cheerleading, but something else.

Let me explain. If we say cheerleading is strictly a crowd interacting sideline activity, then stepping onto a competition mat isnt cheerleading. Cheerleaders, who do crowd leading activities, also get involved and do the thing we all consider a sport.

Is this making sense to anyone. Forget everything you know about any advertisement or anything ever... just think is what we do 'cheerleading'?

I love where you are going with this! Ever since my kids got involved in All-stars, I have never really considered it cheerleading. Although the sport gained its roots from cheerleading, it hardly resembles cheerleading as the general population knows it. Not to beat a dead horse, but there isn't even a section labeled cheer on the scoresheet anymore!
 
To me what we do has directly evolved from cheerleading. What they do is dance. Not even close to the same. Professional cheerleaders don't lead anything. They dance in skimpy little outfits to entertain the male population at the games.

I agree. You read my mind!
 
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If it were labled something else then Cheerleading and this 'sport' could coexist. I imagine some of the trouble in all of this is the fact that it is hard to say 'cheerleading is a sport' to a passer by. OK, really? The rah rah on the sidelines is a sport? No not that TYPE of cheerleading. The competitive type.

Because if the Rah Rah on the sidelines is a sport isnt also the band and dancers? Now I am not gonna get into all that with the band and dancers, but separation between sidelines and us would seem to get rid of the grey areas.

And last, would the volley ball players even have a case against QU having a competitive cheerleading team IF it wasnt called cheerleading? That name, that one all encompassing name, has made it possible for the volley ball players have a case. Because they can point to the sidelines and say THATS cheerleading. Thats your sport?
 
I get what you're saying King. But I really thought (until this recent controversy) that we were headed in the right direction. If the CEO of the most recognized, most power company in the known cheer world would stand up and testify that WE ARE A SPORT, I don't think people would keep thinking of us like they did years ago. We need exposure. We need supporters. We need people to see what we REALLY do in 2010. If that would happen, people's ideas and opinions would change. I'm certain of it.
 
Another way to think about it for the true nerds out there:

A square is always quadrilateral... but a quadrilateral isn't always a square.

You cannot ask me if a quadrilateral is a square. Because if you do my answer would be No.

Does that make sense?


The math teacher in me loves you Kingston.
 
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I get what you're saying King. But I really thought (until this recent controversy) that we were headed in the right direction. If the CEO of the most recognized, most power company in the known cheer world would stand up and testify that WE ARE A SPORT, I don't think people would keep thinking of us like they did years ago. We need exposure. We need supporters. We need people to see what we REALLY do in 2010. If that would happen, people's ideas and opinions would change. I'm certain of it.

Hrmm... maybe the problem is WE aren't asking the right question. We got an answer we dont like to a question that 'seemed' simple enough, but isn't.

Sorry to all our homosexual friends on here, but this is easiest example I can come up with, so suspend your ability of being offended for a few lines.

In 6th grade one boy picking on you would ask: Do your parents know you are gay yet?

Their is no proper way to answer that question if you are not homosexual, because answering the question meant you were.

Its a terrible question. Now we are up to cheerleading. Can I honestly say what we do is a sport. Heck yes. Is 'cheerleading' a sport. Maybe not, because what we do isn't cheerleading. So you ask me if ALL of cheerleading is a sport (sidelines and competitive) what would yoru answer be?

Is 'cheerleading' (remember include sidelines AND competition) a sport? in a yes or no answer.

The problem is saying Yes it is a sport means the sidelines are a sport. Saying no means the competitive part ISNT a sport.
 
If they have to be thrown together, then Based on some of the "sports" in the olympics, I am going to say all cheeleading is a sport.
 
If you think about it, there are a lot of sports whose names have little to do with the actual activities going on,
Like football? You never really use your feet unless you're a kicker. Or curling; the name implies little to the sport it's self, I imagine maybe competitive hair curling or ribbon curling having that name.
Does cricket involve small insects? I think not.
And bowling, there is no involvement of any type of bowl whatsoever... No cereal bowls, salad bowls, or even pasta bowls..

:)
 
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If they have to be thrown together, then Based on some of the "sports" in the olympics, I am going to say all cheeleading is a sport.

So every rah rah team that leads the crowd very well but never sets a foot on the mat is a sport?
 
Hrmm... maybe the problem is WE aren't asking the right question. We got an answer we dont like to a question that 'seemed' simple enough, but isn't.

Sorry to all our homosexual friends on here, but this is easiest example I can come up with, so suspend your ability of being offended for a few lines.

In 6th grade one boy picking on you would ask: Do your parents know you are gay yet?

Their is no proper way to answer that question if you are not homosexual, because answering the question meant you were.

Its a terrible question. Now we are up to cheerleading. Can I honestly say what we do is a sport. Heck yes. Is 'cheerleading' a sport. Maybe not, because what we do isn't cheerleading. So you ask me if ALL of cheerleading is a sport (sidelines and competitive) what would yoru answer be?

Is 'cheerleading' (remember include sidelines AND competition) a sport? in a yes or no answer.

The problem is saying Yes it is a sport means the sidelines are a sport. Saying no means the competitive part ISNT a sport.

I guess that's where we are having a language barrier King. I would say YES. If you include both areas of cheerleading collectively, then yes it is a sport. Is throwing a football around for fun a sport all by itself? Is playing "catch" with a friend a sport all by itself? No, but you add in other players, an offense and a defense, a ref, rules, etc. and voila, you have a sport. But throwing the football around for fun is a PART of that sport. Same with cheerleading. The sideline portion is a PART of our sport, the non-athletic side. Add in judges, rules, etc. and voila, it becomes a sport. But it's still all part of the same wonderful sport.
 
If they have to be thrown together, then Based on some of the "sports" in the olympics, I am going to say all cheeleading is a sport.

like archery and curling
hahaha

tug of war was an olympic sport until 1920

Or how about Ski Ballet/ Acro Ski
This was in the 92 winter olympics
skiers would perform a 90 second routine to music and include flips etc.
 
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