The online newspaper of Canyon High School

The Eagle's Tale

The online newspaper of Canyon High School

The Eagle's Tale

The online newspaper of Canyon High School

The Eagle's Tale

Is cheerleading a sport? One competitor says ‘yes!’

Many people do not consider cheerleading a sport, but that’s probably because they have never tried it. Ask any cheerleader, and he or she will most likely say it is.

I’ve been a cheerleader at Cheer Texas for ten years. Cheer Texas is a gym where competitors try out and are placed on squads based on skill level, with Senior Co-ed being the most advance. Each year squads compete in about ten contests that occur in locations ranging from Dallas to Orlando, Florida.

Routines are two minutes and thirty seconds of non-stop action. Cheerleaders practice two or three times a week, and the practices are not always easy. The routines consist of stunts, tumbling, and choreography. I am a flyer, which means I trust three people with my life as they hold me up in the air, while I do my “tricks”. When I come out of a stunt, the bases toss me as high as they can, I twist once or twice around and the bases catch me on my back. I’ve been both a flyer and a base and neither are easy positions.

If the stunt doesn’t go perfectly, a cheerleader could land a skill with a broken ankle or even a broken neck. If a cheerleader loses concentration, someone could get hurt. I’ve witnessed many severe injuries in cheerleading, and according to abcnews.go.com, about 16,000 cheerleaders are severely injured each year.

I have run track, and I have played volleyball. I’m not saying those sports are easy, because they are difficult; but because I’ve played other sports and cheered, I can make a fair comparison.

Whenever people ask me if I play sports, I say proudly, “Yes. I am a cheerleader at Cheer Texas.”

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