Cheerleading expert: It's not a competitive sport

The Associated Press

Published: Tuesday, June 22 2010 9:19 p.m. MDT

Summary

An expert in cheerleading has testified that cheerleading should not be a competitive sport, saying that making it so would threaten "classical sideline cheerleading."

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — An expert in cheerleading has testified that cheerleading should not be a competitive sport, saying that making it so would threaten "classical sideline cheerleading."

Jeff Webb, CEO of the cheerleading organization Varsity Spirit, testified Tuesday in federal court in Bridgeport, Conn., in a lawsuit against Quinnipiac (KWIN'-ih-pee-ak) University. Five volleyball players sued after the school decided in a budgetary move to eliminate women's volleyball in favor of a competitive cheer squad.

Testifying for the players, Webb said competitive cheerleading is as much a sport as chess.

A federal judge is being asked in part to decide whether cheerleading can be counted as a sport by schools looking for ways to meet gender-equity requirements. He's also considering whether Quinnipiac improperly manipulates the size of the rosters to comply with those requirements.

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John Charity Spring

It is absurd that precious court time is being wasted on this obvious issue. Cheerleading is not now a competitive sport, nor has it ever been.

Historically, cheerleading was just that: a small group which lead a larger group in cheers as More..

9:43 p.m. June 22, 2010
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Terry

Title IX is already B.S. now they want to make it so the cheerleader scholarships don't count when the cheerleader competitions are as much or more a sport than any other woman's sports. Ever watch the nationals competitions on ESPN? Very few women More..

12:24 a.m. June 23, 2010
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Skierelmo

sport /spɔrt, spoʊrt/ Show Spelled[spawrt, spohrt]
—noun
1. an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, More..

6:52 p.m. June 23, 2010
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