When you hear the words ‘tutus and twirling’ what do you think about right away? Most people think of little girls spinning around in cute little pink outfits, but to Kristin S., the writer of this work piece, it means her passion. When I started to read this opinion, I totally agreed with her one hundred percent. I know what it feels like to be told ‘oh what you do isn’t a sport’ even though you try really hard because I am a cheerleader. Most people assume cheerleaders are snooty brats who always get the guys, but actually they are wrong. Cheerleaders are not only athletes but also dancers and tumblers. Cheerleading is actually a very hard and dangerous sport which takes months to perfect your routine. I cheer for an all-star team, and I know for a fact that it is not an easy practice. Practice usually consists of stretching, stunting, learning our routine, and perfecting it. During practices, we have to lift girls in the air while they try to stay stable to hit a specific move or throw them in the air and catch them. As a base you have to be totally responsible for the flyer because their lives are in your hands and as a flyer you have to trust the people underneath you because it is your job to make the crowd ‘ooh and aah’ at the sight of you in the air. It may look pretty easy, but I’d like to see any football, baseball, or basketball player come out and do what we do each time we hit those blue mats.
Cheerleading and dancing are very much alike because both must perform as a whole and make the movements look like the dancers are moving as one. Like I said before, I totally agree with Kristin S, and even though we don’t throw a ball around and see who can make the most baskets, we look graceful and excited while throwing a girl up into the air hoping that she will stick her stunt perfectly. That is why cheerleading and dancing are definitely sports no matter what anyone says.