Beneath the pom-poms and spirited chants lies a world of intense athleticism and dedication. Yet, persistent stereotypes continue to overshadow cheerleading’s true nature as a sport. These misconceptions reduce the hard work and skill required to mere sideline entertainment, ignoring the rigorous training, precise choreography, and competitive spirit that define cheerleading. It’s time to challenge these outdated views and recognize cheerleaders as the serious athletes they truly are, breaking free from the shallow stereotypes that have long held them back.
“CHEERLEADERS ARE DUMB”
People often portray cheerleaders to be overly concerned with their appearance, lacking intelligence, or only being concerned with popularity. In a student article, which debriefs the stereotypes about cheerleading, it claims, “One of the most prevalent stereotypes is that cheerleaders are ditzy and dumb.” This emphasizes the majority belief of a cheerleader’s characteristics. The origin of this quote may have arisen from media portrayals in movies and TV shows where cheerleaders are depicted as shallow and solely focused on social status. The impact of this perception undermines cheerleaders’ hard work, dedication, and athletic skills. Many cheerleaders, in fact, defy the stereotype of, “lacking intelligence,” by having excellent GPAs. In the Helix Charter High School Handbook , it highlights that cheerleaders, ” Must maintain a 2.0 grade point average throughout the year. If a student goes under a 2.5, the cheerleader is required to show up for tutorial 2x a week until their GPA has raised.” Although a 2.0 GPA is average, it sets a standard cheerleaders must meet and that they are expected to succeed. Therefore, the majority of students aim to rise above a 2.0 GPA for a much higher grade point average. This highlights the requirements and importance of a cheerleader’s academic responsibility to not only do well in school, but to also to do a good job of balancing the two.
“CHEER IS EASY”
Most people see cheer routines and think it’s “effortless” or “simple” but there is much more to it. In an article written by student athletes, they present, “Spectators may believe that they can do the same thing, that it requires no effort whatsoever, and that it’s too easy.” This reinforces the point of view people have on cheerleaders as well as the claim of why it is not deemed as a sport. Many people believe this because they only get to see the stunts being performed or the quick routine. This leads to the lack of appreciation for these athletes’ dedication and hard work. What people don’t see is the long hours of practice, physical exertion, and dedication to the sport itself. Cheerleaders have to face maintaining physical fitness, ensuring safety, and the grit and time it takes to perfect each routine.
THE REALITY OF CHEERLEADING
In order to put a stop to the stereotypes, perhaps providing knowledge of what cheerleading is actually like may persuade us to think otherwise.
Being a cheerleader not only means having dedication to the sport as previously mentioned; but being able to obtain qualities such as maintaining a positive attitude, teamwork skills, decision making, and the confidence to perform. Occasionally, it gets overwhelming during practice. Everyone is tired, everyone is frustrated, and everyone is ready to go home. But keeping a positive mindset is, “is infectious to those around you and vice versa,” claims the website Prodigy, a popular cheer apparel website. Being constructive in an environment of negative people may lighten the atmosphere – and lightening the atmosphere is sometimes necessary when you are supporting our amazing sports teams.
The second aspect of being a cheerleader is being able to work well with others. A huge portion of cheer has to do with being in contact with others. “When stunting, cheerleaders must trust their teammates. Lack of trust leads to fear, which creates mistakes—or worse—injuries. “according to a cheer website. This supports how cheerleaders always need to be mindful of safety concerns.
The last aspect, having confidence. Like other sports, being able to put yourself out there and to have that self-assurance takes a lot from a person and deserves more attention.
In summary, cheerleading is a lot more than just catchy cheers or fun routines, but a sport of commitment and enthusiasm. Cheering deserves more credibility as a sport rather than being perceived as “dumb” or “simple.” Ultimately, cheerleading is undeniably a sport because it demands rigorous physical training, exceptional skill, and unwavering dedication, just like an athletic discipline.
