Federal Judge: Cheerleading Is Not a Sport

Federal Judge Rules That Cheerleading Is Not a Sport

7/22/2010 12:30 PM ET By Ryan Wilson



A cheerleader is defined as "a person who leads cheers and applause, especially at sporting events." So it's with some irony that an activity supposed to bring people together has been so divisive. Specifically around whether cheerleading is actually a sport.

It's been a point of contention for years, although I'm perfectly fine with calling it a sport. (Wherever you end up in that argument, this much isn't up for debate: cheerleading is extremely dangerous.) A federal judge, however, has decreed differently with one big caveat (via KPTV.com):

Competitive cheerleading is not an official sport that colleges can use to meet gender-equity requirements, a federal judge ruled Wednesday in ordering a Connecticut school to keep its women's volleyball team.

Several volleyball players and their coach had sued Quinnipiac University after it announced in March 2009 that it would eliminate the team for budgetary reasons and replace it with a competitive cheer squad.

The school contended the cheer squad and other moves kept it in compliance with Title IX, the 1972 federal law that mandates equal opportunities for men and women in education and athletics. But U.S. District Judge Stefan Underhill disagreed in a ruling that those involved say was the first time the cheerleading issue has been decided by a judge.

For an activity to be considered a sport under Title IX it has to have coaches, practices, competitions during a defined season and a governing organization. Also -- and this is a biggie -- it must "have competition as its primary goal - not merely the support of other athletic teams."

No word on if the judge weighed in on the scourge that has become spaghetti-strap tops.

Damn. That was the one thing UCF wins National Championships in. Oh well...