Federal Judge says Cheerleading Not a Sport

[alextiger]

The problem, as I see it, is that in our society calling something a sport makes it legitimate. If gymnastic, marching band, diving, or anything else that does not involve two teams directly competing against each other is not a sport, then it is of lesser value than a "real sport" like basketball, or baseball and the like. Personally I do not consider drum corps or any competition where individuals or groups compete for a score rather than against an opposing team a sport. They are athletic and/or artistic competitions. The participants are athletes and every bit as dedicated, conditioned, and competitive as athletes of traditional sports, if not more so. We should not have to call drum corps (or cheerleading) a sport just to make it acceptable and more mainstream. It should be able to stand alone as a unique form of competitive creativity.

Now if you want to make it a sport, then we need to put 2 corps on the field and let them do their shows at the same time. The corps with the most members standing at the end wins. I think this year it would come down to the Blue Devils and The Cavaliers for the championship. The Cavaliers may have the advantage with 100 rifles on the field, although the Blue Devils would have the stealth with mirrors. The Cadets would be disqualified for self inflected causalities.

[bartyount]

By every definition I could find, drumcorps is a sport.

Generally, a sport is an activity requiring some physical skill in the form of some competition. Drumcorps fits well within this.

American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language:

Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively.

Macmillan Dictionary:

an activity in which players or teams compete against each other, usually an activity that involves physical effort.

Cambridge International Dictionary of English:

a game, competition or activity needing physical effort and skill that is played or done according to rules, for enjoyment and/or as a job

Webster's New World College Dictionary:

such an activity, esp. when competitive, requiring more or less vigorous bodily exertion and carried on, sometimes as a profession, according to some traditional form or set of rules

[jblamb1401]

If cheerleading is not a sport, what can be said of drum corps? Are we doomed to be deemed a "youth performing arts organization." And what does this do to DCI's marketing as "Music's Major League."

The reign of these drum corps sports heroes will quickly draw to an end and I am saddened by their passing. All at the reigns of an activist judge.

Where's the source? What were the details of the case?

I can't believe that there's been 6 pages of "discussion" over this and no one has asked the OP for a source.

We do this thread 4 to 5 times a year.

your definition, my definition, bla bla bla

Thanks for stiring the pot of crap, Tom.

[bartyount]

BTW - for those of you who say that drumcorps is not a sport. Can you specify what it is about drumcorps that disqualifies it from being a sport?

[bawker]

Where's the source? What were the details of the case?

I can't believe that there's been 6 pages of "discussion" over this and no one has asked the OP for a source.

http://www.kptv.com/sports/24340896/detail.html

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Competitive cheerleading is not an official sport that colleges can use to meet gender-equity requirements, a federal judge ruled Wednesday in ordering a Connecticut school to keep its women's volleyball team.

Several volleyball players and their coach had sued Quinnipiac University after it announced in March 2009 that it would eliminate the team for budgetary reasons and replace it with a competitive cheer squad.

[dbc03]

BTW - for those of you who say that drumcorps is not a sport. Can you specify what it is about drumcorps that disqualifies it from being a sport?

Subjective judging

[dc oldtimer]

I would have to say anything with an OBJECTIVE winner. Sure referees, umpires, officials etc... influence a game but not quite to the degree of drum corps (gymnastics, diving or figure skating for that matter). I don't think athleticism has anything to do with the requirement of a sport. I would say chess, bowing, baseball, golf are better candidates for sports.

I agree with this. This topic has been discussed MANY times before on this site. I don't want to spend time searching but I believe anything that is subjectively scored is not a sport. Not saying that athleticism isn't required those activities (gymnastics, cheerleading, figure skating, drum corps, etc.) but I don’t consider them sports.

[Tusayan]

As far as college sports are concerned though, its gone way beyond its original intent.... equal scholarships doesnt mean you are meeting need equally.

There's nothing in the Title IX regulations that requires equal scholarships or equal expenditures.

[alextiger]

BTW - for those of you who say that drumcorps is not a sport. Can you specify what it is about drumcorps that disqualifies it from being a sport?

each performance is judged seprately and is judged on its on merits and has no direct influence on the other corps. The Cavaliers cannot block the Blue Devils and keep them from scoring.

Drum corps is an athletic competition and the particpants are as much athletes as the particpants of "regular sport". Calling it a sport, to me, is just another example of dumbing down the activity to make it more accessable to the general population.

[dbc03]

each performance is judged seprately and is judged on its on merits and has no direct influence on the other corps. The Cavaliers cannot block the Blue Devils and keep them from scoring.

Drum corps is an athletic competition and the particpants are as much athletes as the particpants of "regular sport". Calling it a sport, to me, is just another example of dumbing down the activity to make it more accessable to the general population.

I don't like this definition. I don't see how you can have a definition of sport that excludes things like track and field