Exemplification Essay
Is cheerleading a sport? Many strongly disagree that cheerleading is a sport; however, these people are also the ones that have never cheered before. Cheerleading is not just about wearing short skirts, having a loud voice, and whipping their ponytails around. It’s about team work, both physical and mental strength, and determination. According to the AACCA, it explains that “any physical activity in which relative performance can be judged or quantified can be developed into a competitive sport as long as (1) the physical activity includes the above defined elements and (2) the primary purpose is competition versus other teams or individuals within a competition structure comparable to other athletics ' activities.” Therefore, this definition proves that cheerleading is a sport. Cheerleading involves skills that require the strength of football, the grace of dance, and the agility of gymnastics (“Cheerleading As a Sport” 1). For example, if there is one spot left on the team, and the coach must pick between a girl with tumbling and a girl without tumbling, the coach is going to pick the girl who has tumbling. By picking the girl with tumbling, the coach is improving her team. The cheerleader with the most skills will always be picked first. Cheerleaders practically do the same things at practice that other athletes do. They condition and run drills. Basketball players memorize plays, whereas cheerleaders memorize routines and cheers. Football players throw balls; cheerleaders throw girls in the air. If there are so many similarities between cheerleading and other sports, then why do so many people think cheerleading is not a sport? Most of these people are men; however, according to the article “History of Cheerleading”, cheerleading was first started by men in 1903. Woman finally joined the sport in 1923 during World War II when the men had to go to war. This was when tumbling, stunting and props became a part of cheerleading. Just as
Cited: * Cheerleading.isport.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2012 * AACCA.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2012