By FITSNews || A federal judge in Hartford, Connecticut has ruled that competitive cheerleading is not an official sport.
That means colleges and universities cannot use it to satisfy gender equity requirements under Title IX, the controversial 1972 law that was established to provide equal opportunities for men and women in college athletics. The ruling stems from a March 2009 decision by Quinnipiac University to eliminate its women’s volleyball team in favor of a competitive cheerleading squad. Quinnipiac is a private school that is perhaps best known for its political polling.
“Competitive cheer may, some time in the future, qualify as a sport under Title IX,” Judge Stefan Underhill wrote in reaching his decision. “Today, however, the activity is still too underdeveloped and disorganized to be treated as offering genuine varsity athletic participation opportunities for students.”
The ruling gave Quinnipiac sixty days to comply.
Frankly, this decision is nonsensical on several fronts. First, Quinnipiac made the decision to cut its volleyball program due to budgetary constraints. Given what the school could have cut, that makes sense. Now, however, a federal judge is stepping in and forcing this private school to spend money it obviously doesn’t have.
That’s ridiculous. And it means there will be a cut somewhere else.
Also, the last time we checked cheerleading most assuredly is a sport. Seriously, it’s not just waving pom poms and chanting, people – there are elaborate dance and gymnastic routines involved which require increasingly high levels of athleticism.
Fortunately, this situation does offer us a chance to post a nice gallery of college cheerleading hotties … while we still can.
Enjoy …
(Click to enlarge)
EDITOR’S NOTE: We’re trying out a new “Gallery” feature for photos here at FITS, so please bear with us. If you’ve pulled up one of the larger, high-resolution images and it’s not displaying fully, just click on it for a full-screen view. Thanks!
By Ken E. July 22, 2010 at 3:00 pm
Watch Penn & Teller’s BS episode this season that is on this very topic. Your eyes will be opened.
http://www.sho.com/site/ptbs/episodes.do?episodeid=136409&ep=801
By snodgrass July 22, 2010 at 5:46 pm
Cheerleaders are performers, not athletes. That makes cheer-leading an art, not a sport. A trapeze artist certainly has to be as strong, agile and skilled as any cheerleader, but I doubt they would define what they do as a sport.
Now, two nekid bi-sexual babes Jello wrestling is another thing..
By Lera July 22, 2010 at 8:39 pm
Wow!! it is obvious you guys are GUYS!! As a former cheerleader–I completely disagree–we work just as hard at our SPORT as the football or baseball players–and harder than soccer players–grass faeries–most of us played other sports as well–swimming-softball–etc. You’re just jealous because we have the added benefit of being completely HOT in our little uniforms!!! :) Don’t HATE–APPRECIATE!! I know Sic does!!;)
By Typical High School Cheerleader July 22, 2010 at 8:42 pm
Nuh Uh! We work harder than any team in the entire school! And it’s the most dangerous sport in the history of sports!
By GreenvilleGirl July 23, 2010 at 11:00 am
If you want to see if cheerleading is a sport, just go to YouTube.com and search “NCA Championships 2010″. While some may think the routine is nothing more than a performance, I beg to differ. Most people only see the cheerleaders at games when they cheer, dance and do stunts. This is not competitive cheer. At the NFL/NBA level, it IS more of a cheer/dance routine.
Competitive cheer is a 2 1/2 minute routine which combines the athletic skills of gymnastics, stunt building, aerobatics, agility and dance choreography. I’ve known guys (no, they’re not gay) who have played college football and cheered competitively. They agree the strength and conditioning required to cheer competitively exceeded what they did while playing football. In other words, competitive cheer was harder. Just look at the upper body strength a male (and many female) cheerleader has.
For those who thing comp cheer is easy, try building a pyramid with three levels. The cheerleaders on the 3rd tier are standing 12-15 ft in the air on one leg with their foot being cradled by the hands of 2 cheerleaders on the 2nd tier, which is 6-10 ft off the ground.
P.S. USC competitive cheer finished top ten in the nation at NCA. And several teams in the Upstate (high school/college students) finished 2nd and 3rd at the World Championships. Look at it on You Tube; it’s as much a sport as track or gymnastics. Football is 15 minutes with a 2nd, 3rd and 4th chance to score more points; competitive cheer is 2 1/2 minutes with no second chances. JMO.
By Canadian Cheer Mom July 23, 2010 at 3:22 pm
Where’s the pictures of the HUNKY MALE CHEERLEADERS???
No bias on this site!!! Eh?
By SnakeMD July 31, 2010 at 10:53 pm
I saw a high school cheerleading squad perform the other day and it was not unlike what I pay $25.00 for on a Friday night down at the Twin Peaks Lounge. The only difference was a little more clothes and the lack of a pole. Cheerleading has more in common with professional wrestling than any athletic sport. The Judge was right on.