Matt Whittington

5/1/14

Sports R + W

            The definition of a sport is often a subject of controversy. This is especially true for cheerleading, where “real” sports players say that it is not a real sport. Cheerleaders obviously defend their activity saying that it is, but this is a heated debate.

            To find out if say, cheerleading is indeed a sport we should know what a “sport” is. Google defines a sport as: “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.” Going by this definition the cheerleading performed at other sporting events is not a sport, as they do not compete against anyone. However competitive cheerleading is absolutely a sport, as they compete against other teams.

This shows that as long as it is a physical activity, and also involves competition, it is indeed a sport.