Modern cheerleading began in the 1980s. It was recognized as an independent sport in 1997. And in 1999, it was officially declared a sport.
However, many people have trouble recognizing its status. They disregard it as a sport because they don’t believe there’s anything that qualifies it as such. They think that cheerleading is just cheering on boys football or doing a dance routine for audience members at a game. What they fail to realize is the amount of practice and hard work that goes into curating routines and perfecting their stunts.
Cheerleading, in some aspects, is considered the most dangerous sport in the United States. With the high flying stunts and over the top tumbling, cheerleaders are always at risk for breaking body parts and enduring concussions.
As a follow up to my radio story about CSI’s move from D3 to D2, i would be recording their cheerleading team as they practice and prepare for competition. Cheerleader Deanna Soueid informed me that with this move, she’s hopeful people in the school will start to take their sport more seriously. I plan to interview their coach about how being seen as a club negatively affects their team and how they hope the change to D2 will help more people appreciate cheerleading for what it truly is.