Cheerleading

[chaggle]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisf...-school-sports

Apparently 37% of British schools offer cheerleading as a sport.

The article contains this rather nice line:

[cheerleading girls] aren't doing sport. They are waggling their arses near boys who are doing sport. The boys are motivated to compete harder and triumph in the subliminal (or not so subliminal) hope that they'll get first pick of these little minxes on the sidelines. . . I think these girls might as well be bent over a rock, waiting to be mounted by whichever caveman gets back first with a rabbit in his hand – at best, their job is to support the action rather than take part in it.

But I don't suppose it's any less of a sport than Ice dancing or Rhythmic Gymnastics.

Let's face it the girls have to work as a team, be very athletic and ..er.. fit.

It strikes me that this might tempt some girls, who are otherwise disinclined, to take part in a health promoting physical activity.

I'm all for it and think it should be encouraged.

[DrS]

From a girl's perspective, though, it's less effort just to bend over a rock ....

[Tony Williams]

Chaggle raises an interesting point about the place of sex appeal in sport (both female and male). A lot of male athletes build up their physique to a greater extent than their sport seems to require. And a lot of female athletes do wear very skimpy costumes...not that I'm complaining, you understand

[brianp]

It strikes me that this might tempt some girls, who are otherwise disinclined, to take part in a health promoting physical activity.

I'm all for it and think it should be encouraged.

Absolutely - and, contrary to Miss Coren's assertion that they are merely "waving pompoms", from what little I've seen of the activity it would seem to demand a great deal of technical skill, a great deal of nerve and a great deal of physical exertion. If the "QI Elves" are to be believed, in the USA there are more hospital admissions from cheerleading injuries than from any other sporting activity. I think it deserves the title "sport" as much as any of the activities which cheerleaders traditionally support.

[Bob Lloyd]

If it was athletic then surely it would already be covered by the floor elements of gymnastics just like the business with the ribbon and hoops, etc.

It's funny that the pole dancers are trying to get accepted as an olympic sport but if it is accepted they'll find themselves competing against the Mallakhamb gymnasts from India:

http://laughingsquid.com/mallakhamb-...cing-in-india/

[Tony Williams]

Absolutely - and, contrary to Miss Coren's assertion that they are merely "waving pompoms", from what little I've seen of the activity it would seem to demand a great deal of technical skill, a great deal of nerve and a great deal of physical exertion.

Sadly, I can't say I've seen much of it either. However, I have the impression that it covers a wide technical spectrum from waving pom-poms to advanced group gymnastics.

[Tony Williams]

It's funny that the pole dancers are trying to get accepted as an olympic sport but if it is accepted they'll find themselves competing against the Mallakhamb gymnasts from India

No competition - wrong gender.

Which reminds me of the tale of the group of British men who went all the way to the Sydney Olympics just to see beach volleyball - then discovered that their tickets were for the men's competition. They were rather upset...