It's Cheerleading for Pete's Sake

I enjoy the aesthetics of a good cheer routine as much as the next guy.  In fact, maybe I enjoy a good cheer routine more than some next guy because I have a high appreciation for the female form.  There’s just something about a perky young lady jumping around, kicking up her legs and yelling “Go team go,” that registers with some mammalian instinct within my mind.  Or maybe its just that I enjoyed dating a few cheerleaders during my highschool basketball days.  Ah.

Today, in the New York Times, I come across an op-ed penned by one Jennifer Allen titled “The Athlete on the Sidelines." Within Miss Allen’s piece she laments the “derision” cheerleading has taken over the years and applauds the University of Maryland’s recognition of cheerleading as a true NCAA sport, even going so far as to offer 12 scholarships for cheerleaders.  Yeah, go cheer.  Two bits, four bits, six bits a dollar, all for competitiive cheer scholarships stand up and holler.

Now don’t take me wrong.  Cheerleaders on the sidelines are wonderful and can add to one’s enjoyment of the game, but, seriously, scholarships?  What will one do upon completion of university with this free ride?  Apply for a dancing girl position in Vegas?  How about for a position as a cheerleader for one of the NFL teams?  The Vegas dancing girl position would be more profitable, income wise at least, when compared to an NFL cheerleader position, since many teams pay just a stipend or nothing at all.

The real reason for Miss Allen’s cheerleading for cheerleading though is this.

"Pushing colleges to recognize competitive cheerleading as a sport will surely help to cut down on injuries."

Rah, rah, rah.  Sis, boom, bah.

Posted by on 02/20 at 08:49 AM

  1. I suspect cheerleading scholarships are a means of assisting Title IX compliance, nothing more. 

    Posted by Skip Oliva  on  02/20  at  04:11 PM

  2. Skip - Good point.  I had, for the most part, forgotten about number IX.

    Posted by  on  02/20  at  05:04 PM

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