<a href=http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/South/09/27/maryland.cheerleading.ap/index.html target=new>Join the University of Maryland's cheerleading team!</a>
In what some would say is an effort to circumvent the rules of Title IX (which basically makes a school pay equally for men's and women's athletic programs), the University of Maryland has made the cheerleader squad an athletic program. :lol:
Oddly enough, the NCAA does not exactly consider cheerleading to be a "varsity sport" (go figure), but Maryland has decided to add cheerleading and <i>water polo</i> to its varsity-level sport programs.
CriticsLoveSnatch, comment?
Better yet, any plans to get in while the getting's good?
Have you ever seen what some of those chicks can do????
That's a talent.
Not one of mine, but a talent none-the-less.
Quote:Originally posted by Toronto Hottie
Have you ever seen what some of those chicks can do????
That's a talent.
Not one of mine, but a talent none-the-less.
The question is not "are they talented", but rather if what they do can be deemed a "sport".
They aren't in direct competition with anyone-- all they're doing is rooting for their team by putting on little sideshows.
If that's the case, really vocal fans in the friggin' audience should be made eligible for these scholarships.
If curling, golf, and bowling can be deemed one, I fully believe Cheerleading can. It's a gymnastic sport.
Quote:They aren't in direct competition with anyone-- all they're doing is rooting for their team by putting on little sideshows
haven't you ever seen the cheeleading competition on espn at like 3 in the morning. they are competing againt other squads from other schools. and they devote as much time to that as other athletes do to their sports.
Quote:Originally posted by Toronto Hottie
If curling, golf, and bowling can be deemed one, I fully believe Cheerleading can. It's a gymnastic sport.
I stand by my previous statement:
Quote:<b>They aren't in direct competition with anyone</b>
Yes, curling, golf, and bowling may not be as physically demanding, but they <i>are</i> all forms of competition, which is the very nature of sport.
How "competitive" do you consider cheerleading to be? Do you really think they are trying to one-up the other cheerleading squad? Hell, what if the other team doesn't even <i>have</i> a cheerleading squad?
Should the guys who wear mascot costumes then be included? They tend to do even riskier, more physically-demanding stunts than the cheerleaders.
<b>EDIT:</b>
Quote:haven't you ever seen the cheeleading competition on espn at like 3 in the morning. they are competing againt other squads from other schools. and they devote as much time to that as other athletes do to their sports.
Is that what you're watching at 3 am to make your jizz shoot over 6 feet?
And mind you, those are <i>independent</i> contests, sanctioned by an entity other than the NCAA, who as stated before does not consider cheerleading to be a sport. Not every athletic activity is a "sport", or should be qualified as one.
What the university is doing here is saying that, as the cheerleaders stand on the sidelines of an NCAA-sanctioned game (be it basketball, football or other), they are "participating in a sport", the same as the players on the field that everyone has paid to see, and are being awarded scholarships accordingly. Also note that any other cheerleading squad nearby is not being granted the same distinctions.
when i was at florida state u. i had 3 cheerleaders down the hall from me in the dorm. yes they do try and one up each other, they do compete is solo competions as well. the one cheerleader down the hall won the national cheerleading competion. she won all kinds of stuff, got a car, was on letterman, scholarships and so on.
when it all comes down to it, i perfer that they do this for cheerleaders, as oppossed to having a womens field hokey team or some other crappy women's sport
When i was younger i was a cheerleader for an HYAL football team. The practices for games alone would run for about 4 hours a day. Practicing routines, tricks, cheering and improvising alone. Whne we went to competition we would run 6 hour practices every day and on weekends we would go to the local Highschools Gym and stay until we were told we could leave.
It doesn't seem hard when you're a spectator but when you're on a field for 15 minute shows there is no room for a fuckup. If one girl makes a wrong turn or messes up she risks throwing off someone elses stance.
One time we had a spotter in the back not paying attention to the girl in the routine she was supposed to be helping down and the girl ended up falling and cracking her head on a linoliuem floor.
As far as trying to one up someone elses team, yes, that is basically what you are trying to do all season. The better your routine and shows are the better chances you have of being recruited to the Competitions they have.
At competetions they run the points based on tricks, cheers, enthuisiasm(of the squad and the enjoyment of the crowd) and originality.
It's alot harder than it seems.
Quote:Originally posted by The Brain
Quote:Originally posted by Toronto Hottie
If curling, golf, and bowling can be deemed one, I fully believe Cheerleading can. It's a gymnastic sport.
I stand by my previous statement:
Quote:<b>They aren't in direct competition with anyone</b>
Yes, curling, golf, and bowling may not be as physically demanding, but they <i>are</i> all forms of competition, which is the very nature of sport........
We're arguing semantics. You don't disagree of the talents, but you keep pointing out the shortcomings because they haven't YET been recognized as a sport.
When/if it ever is, all of your issues, (who they compete with, how, blah blah) will be addressed.
You're agreeing with me, whether you recognize it or not.