Bergen Catholic Varisty Cheer

Every stereotype made about cheerleading needs to be forgotten. Forget the pom-poms and the can- can kicks, in fact forget the cheering because this is different.  What does it mean to be an All- Star cheerleader…is it the bright lights, the cheering crowds, or is it the gymnastics prowess, the glitz and the glamor? Forget right now about what is seen on the sidelines at football games, this is cheerleading as a high- flying sport whose soring participants work like professionals, often devoting six or seven days each week to training. “What does it take to be an athlete and a champion? Is it based on physical strength and how many trophies are earned? Or does it take something more?” These athletes will repeat their two- minute, 30- second routine with mind-numbing devotion for six months before preforming it in front of a crowd.

A sport is defined as “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others” (Miriam Webster Dictionary). The definition of a sport can be broken down into many different requirements and cheerleading reaches each one.  A sport must be “a physical activity which involves propelling a mass through space or overcoming the resistance of mass” girls are thrown and tossed into the air while stunting is preformed.  A sport also requires “contesting or competing against an opponent” teams compete against each other during competitions in All- Star cheerleading. A sport must also be “governed by rules that explicitly define the time, space and purpose of the contest and the conditions under which a winner is declared” ; All- Star cheer competitions are held under strict rules and restrictions such as mat size, routine length, stunting and tumbling restrictions and score sheets.  Just like football, basketball and baseball, All- Star cheerleading meets all the technical requirements to be considered a sport in the United States.