But upon reading the post, I’m glad the judge decided the way they did. In this instance anyway, the school was apparently only calling it a sport as an end-run around Title IX. Glad the judge didn’t let them pull that happy crappy. If they’re going to use cheerleading for a sport, separate it out from cheering the male football team on and make it a separate competitive sport like figure skating has become.

As far as men’s sports having to be cut to meet Title IX, cry me a river. I’m sorry but am I supposed to give a damn about that when Title IX exists because women have been side-lined all along?

Thanks for your feedback! A lot of good information in your reply.

I was being a bit facetious in the post title. As I noted in the blog post, the judge wasn’t saying it’s not a sport so much as it’s not a valid sport in relation to the NCAA and its Title IX requirements because of the lack of an organizational structure.

It can and should fulfill the requirements you laid out. Here’s the tricky thing though – those requirements already pre-suppose that it’s a sport, and the judge was ruling on whether or not it even qualifies as a sport to begin with. That’s where Title IX is vague: it doesn’t qualify what IS a sport, just how a sport can count.

Like I said before: I think cheerleading can be a sport. It certainly is in your case, but it’s not necessarily in the case of Quinnipiac and the college level.

My take is that there are two kinds of sports:
1. Inherently Competitive Sports Athletic competitions that automatically pit one person or team against another and therefore can’t exist without competition.
2. Institutionally Competitive Sports These are athletic endeavors/exhibitions – like cheerleading – that become competitive only when something is organized to create the competition.

Both are equally valid as sport; just the second one requires that extra step of organization.

oh well as for my high school, we have an authorized practice space. our season for competition starts the first week of may and ends in november. We have Co-Ed cheerleading and have won State 3 or 4 times as a Co-ed team. we have practice monday-thursday, and cheer at football games on fridays then go to competitions on saturdays starting in september. Our Coaches get paid for their time, i do agree that the amount of hours they put in doesn’t equal, the amount they get paid. but still all that alone covers over half that law.

I think that one judge should not be able to silence a debate that has been going on for +30 years, If it was like 5 i think i would shut up and say these comments to myself but its not.

Friday Night Cheerleader Locker Room Fights, coming to the Armory this Fall.