Why Cheer is Not a Sport.

(and probably will never be).

1972 Highland Cheerleaders

On June 23rd, 1972, at the peak of the feminist movement, Title IX was signed into law.

The landmark federal civil rights law states:

"No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.

While providing many new benefits and opportunities for women, Title IX is also the reason why cheer is not a sport.

Since its enactment 24 years ago today, Title IX applies to a variety of programs, but it has received the most attention for its impact on athletics, especially at the collegiate level, by prohibiting discrimination in federally funded education and providing women’s and men’s programs with the same resources, such as medical treatment, training, practice time, travel, and equipment.

So, while the powers that be decided softball, basketball, tennis and field hockey would be included in the list of federally protected programs, the 1972 version of cheer was not. Considered to be entertainment or a side-line club, cartwheels, pyramids and jumps were not seen as athletic enough. and from then on, our children in competitive cheer have fought the stigma of "cheer is not a sport."

It is important to note, that Title IX is a civil rights act, not sport related at all, although that was its primary result.

We're seeing a shift in the mainstream recognition of All Stars; televised competitions have helped, but until someone petitions legislators to include it in Title IX, cheer will never (officially) be a sport.

Though we know it is.