I swore I wasn
’t going to touch this issue. No way to win on this one my inner
voice warned me. But, despite my misgivings, I just couldn’t resist
weighing in on the whole “cheerleading: sport or not a sport”
debate. And, with all due respect to my colleague from the Gilroy
Dispatch, I’ve come to the co
nclusion that cheerleading is, indeed, a sport. At least by the
modern definition of sport it is. I have to admit that I was
originally much more inclined toward the argument against
cheerleading being granted “sport” status.
I swore I wasn’t going to touch this issue. No way to win on this one my inner voice warned me. But, despite my misgivings, I just couldn’t resist weighing in on the whole “cheerleading: sport or not a sport” debate.
And, with all due respect to my colleague from the Gilroy Dispatch, I’ve come to the conclusion that cheerleading is, indeed, a sport. At least by the modern definition of sport it is.
I have to admit that I was originally much more inclined toward the argument against cheerleading being granted “sport” status. I was initially swayed by those who said any activity that spent as much, or more, time performing than competing shouldn’t be considered a sport. I listened to those who said an activity that was judged by totally subjective means rather than by objective rules of competition shouldn’t be defined as a sport. Those who said that just because an activity included hours of training and hard work, special uniforms, regular competitions, breathtaking performances of skill, and a close association with sports didn’t mean they were a sport themselves had me wondering myself. When they pointed out that defining a sport by the aforementioned description would mean that a high school marching band would have to be considered a sport, they had me.
In fact, I used to believe that cheerleading should actually aspire to be considered an activity slightly elevated in status above that of often over-glorified sports. Rather, I thought cheerleading should aim for being associated with something like interpretive dance or performance art, something with more redeeming cultural value.
But that was before. As I stated earlier, I’m now ready to consider cheerleading a sport. I have one simple reason for this about-face, one single, solitary fact that converted me. And, it’s not because I’m afraid of the flood of e-mails and letters to the editor that followed my Dispatch colleague’s (I thought quite humorous) attempt to satirize the issue and point out its utter inanity.
Fact is, the definition of “sport” has been expanded in modern times to gather nearly any activity with a hint of competition under its umbrella.
When the most popular sports network devotes hours of programming to the world of doughy card sharks, ubiquitous dark glasses and the thrill of an all-in winning flop, or the excitement of a grade schooler spelling “prestidigitation” and “deleterious,” or the drama of people consuming massive amounts of food. When the Olympics chooses brooms and nose clips over baseball and softball. When poker, spelling bees, eating, curling and synchronized swimming are all considered sports, how can cheerleading be left out?
So, under the ever-expanding definition of what is a sport, it’s only fair to include cheerleading in the mix.
Now the only thing left to do is define what is, and what is not, a “real” sport. Let the e-mails begin.
Around the horn…
*Local fans of high school (and college) football have a chance to see some of the top players in the Bay Area at the 31st Annual Charlie Wedemeyer High School All-Star Football Game this week. The contest, which will be held on Wednesday at 7:30pm at San Jose City College, will feature graduated seniors, many of whom are headed to college to play football in the fall. Live Oak High grads Shaun Standridge and Dustin Vertin, and Gilroy High grads Jared Gamm and John Torres, will play for the South squad. In a touching tribute, the late JR Adams is an honorary member of the South all-star roster. The Gilroy resident and Valley Christian High football standout was killed by a hit-and-run driver in Mexico earlier this year. Also, the 49er cheerleaders will be there, along with several Bay Area high schools’ cheer squads who will participate in a pre-game clinic conducted by the Gold Rush Girls. (Live Oak High’s cheerleaders attended last year.) Tickets for the fun and charitable event are $15. Proceeds benefit the Charlie Wedemeyer Family Outreach organization and other Bay Area charities. The event honors former Los Gatos High football coach Charlie Wedemeyer, who was stricken with ALS but continued coaching and influencing youngsters for years despite the debilitating disease.
*What’s almost as good as a Giants winning streak? Why, that’s simple for us beleaguered but diehard Black and Orange fans. It’s a Dodgers slump, a full-on gushing-Dodgah-blue nosedive NL West cellar-ward. That is about the only thing that can salve the bumps and bruises of a promising season gone miserably bad for the Giants. That’s why last weekend’s 3-of-4 series post-All Star Game victory at Dodger Stadium was so sweet. For just a moment, as the two struggling franchises tussled, it was the Giants who summoned up the chutzpah – despite an all-too-familiar come-from-ahead loss on Saturday – to emerge as victors in a series for one of the all-too-few times this summer. It may well be that the Giants can make some kind of run at a very winnable NL West in the next few months. But it’s much more likely that last weekend’s conquest of Chavez Ravine will remain one of the transcendent moments of the Giants’ 2005 season. If they can’t win anything else this season, at least the Giants got their chance to give the waterlogged Dodgers another dunk in their rivals’ steady sink into the depths of the division.
*As if Major League Soccer hadn’t already slapped the Earthquakes and the San Jose professional soccer booster community enough times this season already, the MLS All-Star Game would seem to be the coup de grace. Not only are there no Quakes on the All-Star squad that will take on the English Premiere League club Fulham FC on July 30, but erstwhile San Josean and current Public Enemy No. 1 for Quakes fans Landon Donovan is, representing his new club – the hated Los Angeles Galaxy. To add insult to injury, the All-Star Game will be televised live on ABC. Ouch!
*Jim Johnson is the Morgan Hill Times Sports Editor. He can be reached by phone at (408) 779-4106 (ext. 203) or by email at jj******@*************es.com
