Cheerleading | Is it a sport?

[Stinky The Clown]

This piece from the Washington Post provides the background for this thread.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/title-ix-anniversary-maryland-cuts-cheerleading-but-was-it-ever-a-sport/2012/04/13/gIQA5EkRFT_story_2.html

The issue is not sports, but rather Title IX and gender equality.

Cheerleading is a particularly high profile face of it, not for the needed athleticism, but because it is easy to mock and use as an icon of government overreach. Like any other sport, it is open, in one form or another, to both genders, but is mostly seens as being for one and not the other. There is women's football, for example, but it isn't particularly high profile.

What are your thoughts on this issue?

I think it is a sport, as much as baseball, basketball, and football.

[Capt. Obvious]

1. I'd say no

but then again, it is shown on ESPN (and those crazy cheer moms might kill me).

So cheerleading and poker = sports

[Stinky The Clown]

4. I don't think poker is a sport

It is an activity, but not a sport.

[Capt. Obvious]

8. It's ESPN, not EAPN

Yeah, cheerleading is an activity

[Stinky The Clown]

20. You've clearly stated an opion, but not a reason for holding it.

Not picking a fight here, really.

But why do you see it as something other than a sport?

As to poker, it is done while sitting and eating salty snack. Intoxicating beverages are often consumed by the participants while participating. In most sports, those activities are reserved for the spectators. Removing tongue from cheek, it involves almost no physical activity.

[Capt. Obvious]

26. Is it in the Olympic games?

Then again, a few of the Olympic "sports" I don't consider sports either.

Just like dancing - chearleading is not a sport.

[Stinky The Clown]

45. Okay, but why?

Not holding dancing or cheerleading is sports us legit opinion, but why do you hold it?

[Capt. Obvious]

47. I guess the Olypics answer didn't suffice

so I'll go with "I know it when I see it."

Is NASCAR a sport?

[Stinky The Clown]

77. Yeah, I think NASCAR's a sport. I think all auto racing is a sport.

If you want to apply "I know it when I see it" I'd say that any activity that requires exceptional athleticism to participate is a sport. Poker doesn't fit that bill. Golf barely does.

So would cheerleading, no?

[Capt. Obvious]

79. None of those are sports

So no.

[A HERETIC I AM]

114. "There are only three true sports.....

Bullfighting, Mountain Climbing and Motor Racing. All the rest are merely games."

Attributed to Earnest Hemingway.

[dogknob]

72. The Olympic committe is sooo out of touch they tried to get Keith Moon to reunite with The Who.

...for the 2012 ceremony
http://dailycaller.com/2012/04/16/london-olympics-organizers-request-keith-moon-for-closing-ceremony/

That said, no I don't believe cheerleading is a sport...

But the opinion of the Olympics on just about anything is shite.

[Capt. Obvious]

82. No shit?

That's funny

[DisgustipatedinCA]

105. I, for one, hope they pull it off.

As long as we don't have zombie issues to deal with--dirt in the mouth and that kind of thing--I'd love to see Keith Moon play again. But while they're at it, I don't think I'm alone in wanting the Olympic Committee to do the same trick for John Bonham. I think I asked very nicely; they should take this under consideration.

[fishwax]

115. but the E is (was) for entertainment

They have long since dropped the full name, but ESPN originally stood for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network.

[eridani]

118. But what about cheerleading for poker?

Aces, aces back to back!
Fill that straight with a one-eyed jack!
Playyyy POKER!

[progressoid]

24. I'm not a big fan but I'd say yes.

sport (spôrt) n.

1.

a. Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively.
b. A particular form of this activity.

2. An activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively.
3. An active pastime; recreation.

[1monster]

57. Too much skill, body control, and discipline to be a sport!

( )

[jwirr]

2. If it is not then what is it?

[Stinky The Clown]

12. Just by way of example, it could be called an "activity"

What about competitive Ballroom Dancing? It was, again by way of example, a demonstration sport at the Atlanta Summer Games (Olypics) a few years back. Olympics or not, it remains a remarkably popular sport at many colleges. There are also amateur and professional competitions almost every week, year round. I can also tell you that the required athleticism is no less than that required for any other athletic endeavor.

What about, for example, Baryshnikov? Was he an artist or an athlete?

[alfredo]

40. He was an incredible athlete, same goes for Gelsey Kirkland

[jwirr]

59. I get the point. That has always been an arguement - even back as far as when I was in school

in the 50s.

[progressoid]

3. I read somewhere that cheerleaders have a higher injury rate than the athletes they cheer for.

FWIW

[fightforfreedom123]

6. Exactly

"Oh, icky stupid girls doing something. It. Is. Not. A. Sport." is not an argument.

[progressoid]

32. Girls' Most Dangerous Sport: Cheerleading

Girls' Most Dangerous Sport: Cheerleading

For high school girls and college women, cheerleading is far more dangerous than any other sport, according to a new report that adds several previously unreported cases of serious injuries to a growing list.

High school cheerleading accounted for 65.1 percent of all catastrophic sports injuries among high school females over the past 25 years, according to an annual report released Monday by the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research.

The new estimate is up from 55 percent in last year's study. The researches say the true number of cheerleading injuries appears to be higher than they had previously thought. And these are not ankle sprains. The report counts fatal, disabling and serious injuries.

The statistics are equally grim in college, where cheerleading accounted for 66.7 percent of all female sports catastrophic injuries, compared to the past estimate of 59.4 percent.

...

Less than catastrophic injuries are vastly more common and they occur at much younger ages, too. Children ages 5 to 18 admitted to hospitals for cheerleading injuries in the United States jumped from 10,900 in 1990 to 22,900 in 2002, according to research published in the journal Pediatrics in 2006. The breakdown:

Strains/sprains: 52.4 percent
Soft tissue injuries: 18.4 percent
Fractures/dislocations: 16.4 percent
Lacerations/avulsions: 3.8 percent
Concussions/closed head injuries: 3.5 percent
Other: 5.5 percent

http://www.livescience.com/2775-girls-dangerous-sport-cheerleading.html

&feature=related

[eridani]

119. Surprised that it outranks gymnastics n/t

[jmowreader]

120. Yeah, it's the most dangerous sport...

because a hell of a lot of high schools just pick the cutest female teacher, or a female teacher who "hasn't got anything better to do," to run the cheerleading squad, whether she has cheerleading experience or not.

If they picked the football coach the same way, kids would DIE on the football field in vast numbers.

[MineralMan]

5. Sure it's a sport. There are competitions

for cheerleading, and there's no denying the athletic nature of it. I'm always surprised when people argue that it's not, really.

[ceile]

14. Anyone who has watched a competition

knows the answer is "yes". I can't imagine doing some of the tumbling and gynmastics they do...

[HappyMe]

7. No, I don't think it is.

Ballet or other kinds of dancing aren't considered a sport.

[Snake Alchemist]

10. Is gymnastics a sport to you? nt

[treestar]

48. Gymnastics is a sport

But what is called cheerleading now may include a lot of gymnastics. It is gymnastics, not even cheerleading. I saw a competition on TV yesterday, or part of one. I had no sense, from watching that, of cheering for any team. They weren't cheerleading at all. Just performing gymnastic tricks.

[Snake Alchemist]

64. It's kind of like gymnastics is just full of "tricks". nt

[Downwinder]

56. Ice dancing is an Olympic sport. Synchronized swimming is also.

[Snake Alchemist]

9. Absolutely. Very few people understand the strength, and gynastics training it requires. nt

[lukkadairish]

11. about a month ago

I sat at a local basketball game and I overheard an interesting conversation about this very thing.....one talker (I will leave gender out of it) was very comfortable saying it was a bonafide sport. The other talk er submitted an opinion to the effect that if the cheerleaders wanted to be taken seriously they needed to tone down the glitter eye makeup and stick-ons, the fake weave ponytails, and the heavy lipstick. The first talker countered that gymnasts do the same thing and are not questioned.....the second talker came back and asked #1 how many Olympic gymnasts had a fake ponytail......and so on......its pretty good food for thought. If the hair thing is an attempt to have some kind of uniformity, its a weak attempt at such. The makeup-----all young ladies wear it, but I gotta admit that the rhinestones and glitter are a bit much......then again I have no dog in this fight, and the talkers seemingly did.....

[Snake Alchemist]

18. It's like people who wear flashy earring, rings, or clothes. They're obviously not real athletes.

[RC]

30. Flashy earrings? Like some 7 foot+ basketball players?

Oh, my...

[riderinthestorm]

39. Figure skaters are covered in glitter, rhinestones, heavy makeup, fake hair... is skating a sport?

You could say the same about sand volleyball? Bikinis and makeup! Is that a sport?

I'd say they all are regardless of the costuming.

[Johnny Rico]

13. Can you bet on it in Vegas?

[madinmaryland]

22. You may just get your wish...

http://www.gambling911.com/sports/cheerleading-become-sport-bet-it-071109.html

[Tom Ripley]

87. Well done; that is the criteria for sports as opposed to athletics

[Renew Deal]

15. It is a sport

[ceile]

16. Gymnastics is a sport

and it makes up over half of routines.

[HopeHoops]

17. No.

[Snake Alchemist]

21. It's like gymnastics. Not really a sport. Just a chance to display pretty girls.

[HopeHoops]

28. Gymnastics is a sport. Cheerleading is a performance art like marching band.

And yes, I was in marching band. I couldn't be a cheerleader because of my facial hair and lack of boobs.

[Snake Alchemist]

29. The marching band is always jealous of the cheerleaders. I guess all those cheer competitions

are for performance.

For the record I cheered and had plenty of facial and chest hair.

[RobinA]

41. This Ex-Marching Band

member was never jealous of cheerleaders. Well, except they got to wear sweaters to football games and I was wearing a white micro-mini skirt and a nylon blouse when it was 30 degrees out...

[Snake Alchemist]

42. Always seemed like the marching band had more fun.

I was stuck doing push ups every time the football team scored or holding up a 100lb flyer with one hand.

[HopeHoops]

108. We WERE the fun.

[KamaAina]

63. That didn't stop Gee Dubya

of course, the Bush men seem to be unable to grow much in the way of facial hair.

[kiri]

78. not conducive to abstinence only

Cheerleading is not conducive to abstinence-only education.

[TlalocW]

19. More than golf or bowling is

If you can comfortably eat pizza, drink beer, ride in a cart from place to place while taking part in it - in essence consume more calories than whatever you're doing takes off, it's a game.

Which is why I've been in favor of making golfers sprint toward their ball after they've made a shot, hitting the ball again as quickly as possible, factoring in the golfer's time into his final score. That would also get the games off television a lot faster.

TlalocW

[Snake Alchemist]

23. I believe there was a big debate several years ago about whether a disabled golfer should be allowed

to use a cart since other pro golfers were unable to do so.

[AngryAmish]

66. Debate? It went up to US Supreme Court.

If you have a permanent disability you can use a cart. Otherwise you can't in USGA sanctioned competition.

[Snake Alchemist]

67. I wonder if they would let me use one as a linebacker in the NFL.

With a few modifications I would lead in sacks.

[Incitatus]

25. +1

[alfredo]

27. Yes, it is a sport. My wife was a cheerleader, and gymnast. She introduced gymnastic moves

and form to her squad. Her non gymnast teammates saw her as a threat, but her gymnast teammates got with the program. One became a championship winning high school coach. Our state is the winningest state in the sport. Our university wins the nationals nearly every year. It is a difficult and dangerous discipline.

&feature=related

[Capt. Obvious]

38. I remember seeing this documentary

about a competitive cheerleading squad from a rich suburb that routinely won the national championship for cheerleading. It turns out that all along they had been stealing their routines from a public school cheerleading squad from the wrong side of the tracks.

After getting busted they make their own routine for the tournament only to finish second to the public school team they had previously stolen their routines from.

[alfredo]

43. All teams "borrow" from competitors.

[ceile]

52. Are you referring to Bring It On w/ Kirsten Dunst?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0204946/

[FSogol]

31. More of a sport than golf.

[AngryAmish]

65. I can golf. There is no way in hell I could cheerlead.

It is way, way harder. (But I think golf is a sport.)

[kenny blankenship]

33. Can you bet on it?

[Sparkly]

34. I think it's athletic, but even when called "acro," I dunno if it's a sport.

Just like I have a hard time with the idea of dancing as a "sport" even when there are competitions.

And, I think as an outgrowth of cheering at games, it's hindered... Maybe the skills in acro/cheer could be rolled into gymnastics somehow...??

[Iggo]

35. Yes. Absolutely.

[Stinky The Clown]

49. Why do you see it that way?

I asked the same sort of question to someone upthread who did not think it was a sport. You hold the direct opposite view. Why do you see it as a sport? (not arguing - trying to have a discussion and learn)

[Iggo]

61. It's gymnastics and gymnastics is a sport.

I don't even see why people feel the need to argue that it isn't a sport. And I suspect the same people would say that golf, bowling, darts, and cards are sports.

[Capt. Obvious]

62. There's a ton of supposition going on in this thread

It's kind of fun to watch

Edited to change projection to supposition

[Iggo]

75. That's why I said "I suspect".

So people would know that I'm just guessing.

[Stinky The Clown]

73. At least two have weighed in here saying that poker's a sport

[Iggo]

76. And that makes at least two who are completely wrong.

[ZombieHorde]

36. It is obviously a sport. Anyone who says otherwise has a vocabulary problem.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sport?s=t

[GoCubsGo]

37. It depends.

Are they just yelling and jumping up and down, waving pom poms? Then, no, I don't consider it a sport.

Are they tumbling and building pyramids, and tossing each other in the air, doing flips and spins. Then, I would consider that a sport. The kids who do cheerleading of the sort one sees in the move "Bring It On" are just as much athletes as the ones whom they are cheering. If not more so.

[Spike89]

44. Can be, but I have a more restrictive definition

Without a doubt, judged cheerleading competitions are technically sports, just like diving, ice skating, gymastics, synchronized swimming, dance, etc. I personally believe the people engaging in these events are athletes, but they aren't engaging in a sport. Ironically, poker is a sport in my definition, but you need not be an athlete to excel in it.
To me, a sport is a game with clearly defined goals. Put the ball/puck object in the right place, run, swim, fastest or farthest, take the chips, or do something concrete (pin your opponent's shoulders to a mat). The non-sports (IMO) are judged and often aren't even synchronous (each athlete's routine may be different).
It isn't a big deal to me, I don't care if cheerleaders, dancers, etc. want to call their activity a sport or not--I do think the term athlete is much more useful, appropriate, and easier to determine.

[fishwax]

104. What of beer pong, bridge, and chutes and ladders?

I understand the distinction between those events that rely solely on judging and those that don't (or at least don't as much). I don't personally agree with the definition, but I get the approach. It makes less sense to me, though, without some distinction between those that require physical exertion (sports) and those that don't (games).

[Spike89]

124. Inherently a muddy mess anyway you choose

There are lots of things that require physical exertion that are not sports (ballet, sex, climbing the stairs, mowing the lawn). And some widely acknowledged "sports" that don't require much exertion at all (auto racing, bobsledding, target shooting). I have absolutely no problem saying someone it an athlete even if they've never played a sport. Any serious dancer must be tremendously athletic.
My only issue is that judged events are not really games in that they can't be fair when picking a winner. How do you say the person doing a double flip perfectly is better or worse than the competitor that wobbles a bit when doing a much more difficult twisting triple jump? Why do figure skating commentators even discuss the pros and cons (outside of comfort/flexibility) of skaters outfits or the musical choices?
The second fastest person in a race doesn't ever win because the judge from Russia really liked their shoes. No basketball player gets an extra point for a fancy shot.
But, when it gets right down to it, I don't think it matters. If some one says they play sports and they mean they sit on the couch and use a joystick to frag "enemies" in an Unreal tournament...good for them.

[Cleita]

46. I do too. I also think dancing like ballet that takes years of training

is also a sport because of the athleticism required to be good at it. It is no different than figure skating, which is considered to be a sport.

[Lizzie Poppet]

50. No. But is IS athletic.

The two aren't one-and-the-same...

[Snake Alchemist]

71. Like women's crew. nt

[Bladian]

51. If people will agree to call marching band a sport, then sure.

But having been in band for four years in high school and seeing the shit band kids put up with (it's not a sport, it's not hard at all!) I have little sympathy for cheerleaders, who often were the ones making fun of us.

[Snake Alchemist]

68. When you can turn a back hand spring into a full and then end in a back tuck call me. nt

[Bladian]

89. Funny, I don't recall saying cheerleading wasn't hard.

No, pretty sure I didn't. I just would prefer that people call marching band what it is.

[Snake Alchemist]

90. A band that marches? nt

[Bladian]

91. And this is exactly what I was talking about.

Apparently cheerleaders are better than people in marching band. That's how you're acting.

[Snake Alchemist]

92. Are they not a band that marches?

My wife was a marching band member.

[Bladian]

94. They are.

But I've been saying this whole time that I would like it to be labeled a sport. And instead of bothering to pay attention to that, since you apparently have some stuck-up attitude, you say "haha they're a band that marches silly." Way to take something seriously.

[Snake Alchemist]

95. I broke several bones while cheerleading and training. Not to mention the torn tendons and ligaments

What type of injuries did you sustain while training?

[trumad]

53. Hell yeah it's a Sport!

[Odin2005]

54. If Nascar is a sport, then Cheerleading is.

[Electric Monk]

81. While we're on the subject, how about billiards or darts? I say yes, they are sports, too.

[Cleita]

88. Yes, they are as they require a degree of skill and tactics.

I was a dart player at one time. I competed in championships. I was pretty good at it. Of course, arthritis claimed my throwing arm in my old age and I can't throw as well anymore. I don't find it any different than skeet shooting or archery, which are treated as sports in the Olympics.

[Little Star]

83. Oh sure bring in the subject of motorsports....

and we'll all be confused. lol

Good point Odin!

[BeeBee]

55. There are different types of cheerleading.

The cheering on the sideline of a game is different than competitive cheerleading which most definitely is a sport.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

58. Since professional "sports" are entertainment and cheerleaders are entertainers...

who just wear a different uniform, it must qualify as a sport.

[bpj62]

60. Cheerleading is a Sport.

The problem is the high schools and colleges will not list it as a sport because of the title X requirements. My daughter is a cheerleader at a club level and the routines require a certain amount of athleticism. Golf is also a sport. The rules of golf require that you walk the course however many clubs require a cart to speed up the pace of play. If you have never hit a golf ball you will find out just how athletic you have to be in order to do so. Poker is not a sport it is an activity that requires a sharp mental accuity but not any athletic prowness.

[bluedigger]

69. Not a sport.

It's a competitive and athletic activity, but it isn't a sport. I can't think of any other sport that adults can't/don't pursue. (I know there are professional cheerleaders, but they only exist as adjuncts to other teams, not as separate entities.) When the AAU has a Seniors Cheerleading competition I will revise my views.

(I have no doubt somebody will make me aware of a senior citizen cheerleading league momentarily. )

[Snake Alchemist]

70. It's like gymnastics or womens basketball. Just something to keep the girls occupied while the men

do the real sports.

[Capt. Obvious]

80. LOL!

[bluedigger]

84. Roll your eyes at your own self for putting words in my mouth.

Your analogies are poor. Gymnastics is debatable, as I also have a problem with judged events, or "contests". Women do have their own professional league in basketball, and if they don't play much in adult amateur leagues it's due to a lack of interest on their part only.

As long as cheerleadings' first criteria of ability remains physical appearance and not athletic ability, it will remain an activity and not a sport. And that is an issue women have to police on their own - I don't think men are recruiting and selecting cheerleaders to any significant extent.

[Snake Alchemist]

85. "As long as cheerleadings' first criteria of ability remains physical appearance and not athletic

ability"

Link to that assertion?

[frogmarch]

74. Modern day cheerleading certainly is!

Wow, I'm amazed at the feats cheerleaders perform!

Some people who say cheerleading isn't a sport call golf and bowling sports. I'd call them activities, and barely that when golf carts are involved.

[Tom Ripley]

86. It's an apprenticeship for pharmaceutical sales reps

[MrSlayer]

93. No, it's cheering for the people playing the sports.

Building human pyramids and doing choreographed dancing is not a sport.

[Snake Alchemist]

97. Pyramids? Are you a centenarian? nt

[MrSlayer]

99. Hah, no.

What do you call it?

[Snake Alchemist]

101. Most modern cheerleading consists of what is called stunts.

Basket tosses, cupies, liberties, etc.

[TNLib]

96. I think it's become more athletic over the years

More complex moves and it seems pretty competitive so I would say it's a sport.

[JoePhilly]

98. Depends on how we define "sport".

So forget cheerleading for a minute. Let's just try to define the characteristics of a sport.

1) A sport usually includes an athletic component. Usually a rigorous athletic component.
2) A sport is usually a competition.
3) Many sports require the rival individuals or teams, to play offense and defense.
4) Many sports require direct physical interaction between the rivals.
5) Many sports include very specific and objective ways to score points.

So this is just an example list, but without some list of characteristics, hot dog eating becomes a sport.

Also, once you define the characteristics, you could also determine categories. So for instance, perhaps not all athletic competitions are sports. They are simply "athletic competitions".

I think items 1 and 2 in my list are required elements for a sport. And I think that items 3-5 can increase our confidence that some activity is a sport.

And an activity like bowling ends up on the edge. It has 1, but not in a very rigorous form. It has 2, does not have 3 or 4, but does have 5.

Cheerleading has 1 and 2, but not really 3-5. So, using my 5 items above, it might not pass the test.

But that's the point. You need a list of criterion to work from, and that list should work beyond cheerleading.

[Snake Alchemist]

100. Cheerleading most certainly has #3 and #5.

Not sure that #4 is really "many".

[JoePhilly]

103. How do you play defense in cheerleeding?

Can you send your team out and block the other team in some way?

And as for #5, when I say "objective" I mean that anyone can tell when points are scored. The ball goes through the basket, into the end zone, into the net ...

I will grant that in some sports, it's more complex. In bowling, lots of folks don't know how a spare or a strike increases your score. But it is easy to explain.

Scoring in Cheerleading is not as objective.

Regardless ... my main point was not that specific list, but the need for a common list before you can actually answer the question. If you don't have a clear definition, then all you have is opinion, and eating hot dogs, poker, and American Idol, are all sports.

[zappaman]

102. I lost my virginity to a cheerleader

and she was a good "sport" about it, so yeah...

[DisgustipatedinCA]

106. Webster's Dictionary says, yes, it's a sport

sport
noun
1
a : a source of diversion : recreation b : sexual play c (1) : physical activity engaged in for pleasure (2) : a particular activity (as an athletic game) so engaged in
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sport?show=1&t=1334619903

[aikoaiko]

107. As much as figure skating or rhythmic gymnastics for sure.

[mzteris]

109. No.

Gymnastics is a sport. If they want to be gymnasts, then be gymnasts.

Wiggling your butt in a too short skirt with a midriff top and too much makeup is NOT a sport. I don't care how many cartwheels you can do.

[Stinky The Clown]

110. How, then, do ice dancing and figure skating pass muster?

[Snake Alchemist]

113. Perhaps you are confusing the Lakers dance team with cheerleaders? nt

[Quixote1818]

123. How is it that wiggling your butt causes more injuries than any other sport?

Cheerleading Still Most Dangerous Sport

Cheerleading continues to cause more serious and deadly injuries by far than other sports, despite the fact that safety efforts have led to modest reductions in the number of serious injuries in recent years.


However, until recently, records about such injuries were poorly kept. An updated to the record-keeping system last year found that between 1982 and 2007 there were 103 fatal, disabling or serious injuries recorded among female high school athletes, with the vast majority, 67, occurring in cheerleading. The next most dangerous sports were gymnastics, with nine such injuries and track, with seven injuries.

more:

http://www.kidsdr.com/your-teen/new-cheerleading-still-most-dangerous-sport

[varelse]

111. You have to be pretty damned athletic to do it

it's also highly competitive. I still have a hard time thinking of it as a sport, but it does meet most of the criteria.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

112. Being physical in nature... if cheerleaders perform in a competiton then it's a sport.

When cheering competitively against other squads, of course it is a sport. On the flipside... cheering strictly for school spirit or at other events is merely an activity.

[tammywammy]

116. Yes, it's a sport. n/t

[bhikkhu]

117. Depends on the coaches, but its definitely a sport at my kid's school

...they train as hard as the athletic teams, they compete regionally, and they take it very seriously.

[Quixote1818]

121. It's the most dangerous sport there is. More injuries in cheerleading than any other sport

No doubt about it, cheerleading competitions are a sport and a very, very dangerous sport.

http://www.kidsdr.com/your-teen/new-cheerleading-still-most-dangerous-sport

[Quixote1818]

122. Cheer competitions fall 100% under the definition of "Sport"

sport/spôrt/
Noun:
An activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others.