Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Florida High Schools Accept Cheerleading?!

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/sep/19/na-athletes-want-off-the-sidelines/


    "At the high school level, Florida is a national leader in recognizing cheerleading as a sport." It's strange to see an article contain a statement such as this, considering Judge Underhill's decision. Yet, it's a relieving feeling to hear that an entire state recognizes cheerleading as a legitimate sport. But the downside to this situation can be found at Newsome High School located in Lithia, Florida. Although it is recognized as a sport, the cheerleaders aren't treated with equality when compared to other athletics at the school.
    An overhead projector and small ceilings hinder the cheerleaders from practicing.. in a cafeteria? Yes, a cafeteria. The gym is reserved for the volleyball team, so the squad is pushed to the side, left to practice in the lunchroom. The school doesn't provide funds for the team's mats, which protect the cheerleaders from landing on the hard tile. And, the squad doesn't even have a real coach! They have to rely on volunteers who are willing to give these girls an opportunity to "play their sport" and enjoy it at the same time. Sounds like a disadvantaged team, to me.
    Parents of the girls also notice the unfairness. One parent even mentioned the fact that the team receives no scholarships, whereas every other team at Newsome does. To help with this situation, one mother is helping to create DVDs to highlight the talents of girls who wish to be recruited by national colleges. At least they're getting the support they need!
    Although it is disappointing to see the girls on this team work hard, play hard and sweat hard just be to recognized by their peers and still not receive the equality they deserve, it's great to hear that Florida does indeed find cheerleading to be a sport at all high schools in the state!

Monday, September 13, 2010

What "They Say"

Article: http://abcnews.go.com/US/judge-cheerleading-sport-quinnipiac-university-squad-title-ix/story?id=11219913


    U.S. District Judge Underhill ruled that competitive cheerleading is not a sport. He stated that it is too "underdeveloped and disorganized to be treated as offering genuine varsity athletic opportunities for students" due to the fact that it does not meet perquisites to actually be called a "sport." I feel that this argument is more of an opinion, which is why it has become so controversial. What does he mean by "underdeveloped and disorganized"? I feel that if he cleared that up through the media, this topic of discussion wouldn't be so touchy for most people. 
    On the other hand,  Mary Jo Kane, director of the Tucker Center for Girls and Women in Sports at the University of Minnesota, disagrees when she writes, "How would people react if the school cut a men's sport like baseball or lacrosse and used those funds for a male cheerleading squad?" Obviously, she supports the consideration of cheerleading as a national sport. She also states that "it's a question of equality." In other words, she is saying that because Underhill declined cheerleading as a sport, the members of the team (the women) cannot be known as athletes. This is where things get a bit heated, for the act of discrimination comes into play. And well.. that's where this argument begins to get very controversial!

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

The Story Behind Underhill's Decision

Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/15/us/15iht-letter.html


    Let's take a deeper look into the background of this news story. A university located in Hamden, Connecticut, Quinnipiac University, has had several problems concerning their budget and violating Title XI law. This law basically ensures that the money that the university is receiving from the government equally shares it between men and women, to prevent discrimination. They cut the women's volleyball team and added in a competitive cheerleading squad, which was actually much cheaper. The decision seemed more efficient, especially considering their budget. This is where it gets a bit confusing: the question of cheerleading as a sport comes into play. Judge Underhill, the key player, decided that since it is not recognized by N.C.A.A., cheerleading will continue to keep its status as "not a sport." 
    He stated that it's too "underdeveloped" to even be a sport. But what does "underdeveloped" actually mean in this situation? Although cheerleading is a fairly new activity in today's world, people can interpret this word differently. Underhill also said that cheerleading "has all the necessary characteristics of a potentially valid competitive sport." If that's true, then what exactly is holding him back from letting Quinnipiac to keep its squad and to allow the cheerleaders, both men and women, to continue the enjoyment of their sport? 

Monday, September 6, 2010

U.S. Judge: Cheerleading Not a Sport

    What a controversial topic! When I first read about this online, my eyes were glued to those five words: cheerleading is not a sport. After cheering and tumbling for a good portion of my 18 years of life, I guess you could say I was pretty upset. I cannot explain how many times I've had people tell me that I am not an athlete and that I am not "playing a sport." I'm simply enjoying a "hobby."
    I mean, I guess I can understand where they're coming from. Many people assume that after watching cheerleaders wave their arms and shout out cheers at sport events, that those individuals standing on those sidelines are in no way true athletes. I mean, it doesn't take much practice to yell out a couple chants and get the crowd to respond, right? But at the same time, can you throw a 120 lb. girl 10 feet in the air and then manage to catch her after she completes some intricate stunt? Or throw a tumbling pass that consists of three back handsprings to a double?
    There's a lot more to the art of cheerleading then people realize, but I want to know what you all think. What's your opinion on this controversial topic?