OPINION | 10.28.20
08
I
MORE THAN THE STEREOTYPE Written by Julia Moser
magine a cheerleader. Often, the image of a dumb blonde with a short skirt and bratty personality pops into people’s minds. This stereotype is what people have seen on TV all their lives, and therefore, what they believe to be true. As a cheerleader, I believe the way we are portrayed is damaging to our reputation. The Kansas State High School Activities Association classifies cheerleading as an activity, not a sport. As a member of the BVNW cheer team, I feel that very few people know the level of work that actually goes into being a cheerleader. If you told a football player the thing they dedicated their time to is not technically a sport, chances are, they would be upset. Cheerleaders devote the same amount of time and energy as any other sport, so you can imagine how we feel as we are not categorized alongside them. Being classified as a sport, rather than an activity, would bring more respect to cheerleading. In the eyes of KSHSAA, we are not seen as athletes, and therefore not treated like ones. Activities director Andrew Addington said he has watched cheerleading become more competitive over his time working in schools. “The way their peers view them and the activities they do matter,” Addington said. “If a cheerleader wanted to be designated as an [athlete] it would be because they feel the work and the effort they put into [cheer] is similar to the work and effort other students put into their own activities.” Anyone can work hard at the activities they participate in, but what separates cheerleading from other
activities is our athleticism. A sport at state in 2019, it definitely changes is defined as an activity involving the way they are viewed by others. physical exertion and skill in which an “I know the girls had put in a lot individual or team competes against of time and effort last year to have a another or others for entertainment. successful state run and show that Cheer is not your average activity. It is they are capable of performing at a simply much different. We fit the mold high level,” Addington said. of a sport rather than an activity. At our state competition the student What we do may look easy, but in body sees us in our pleated skirts and reality is difficult and requires hard full makeup assuming we participate work. While football players work in cheer for our looks, but in reality, hard to get better at their game, we our motivations are much different. build our strength to throw girls Senior and varsity captain Presley above our heads and flip in the air. Ward said when she started cheer, she We are just as physically active. What soon figured out how much she loved we do athletically might differ from the sport. other stereotypical sports, but that “I really got into cheerleading, but does not mean we are not athletes. We it wasn’t for the look of it or being show off our skills to an audience and cool, it was because I really liked it compete against others, again, just as and it’s what I enjoyed doing,” Ward other sports do. Just because we don’t said. tackle people or use a ball, we aren’t The stereotypical cheerleader considered a sport? the media has created is degrading You have to be tough to be to the sport. I take offense when successful in cheerleading, both people think of me as a stereotypical mentally and physically. You have cheerleader. I am tired of people to be able to fall from a stunt and laughing when I tell them I am on the get back up. If one person fails, the cheer team or being stared at in the whole team fails. If halls for wearing my one person messes up uniform. We want to while performing, you be respected like other OUR COACH lose. We put all our sports are. Our coach DISCIPLINES AND disciplines and treats effort into practice, which can become us like athletes, so it TREATS US LIKE quite difficult. is infuriating to be ATHLETES, SO IT While we perform viewed as anything IS INFURIATING in traditional less. competitions, we People classify us as TO BE VIEWED AS also attend a state cheerleaders like it is ANYTHING LESS. competition, just like our entire personality. any other sport. We We are more than that. practice for strenuous We are hardworking, hours to be named Kansas State committed, athletic and strong. We Champions, yet KSHSAA classifies our work to win. We are athletes and hard work as a “non-athletic activity.” deserve to be acknowledged as such. Addington said that due to the success our BVNW cheer team has had
