The age old question -- to cover cheerleading or not?

[mike311gd]

I'm going to argue that it belongs in the paper. I'm not going to argue, though, that it belongs in sports. It's an activity, not a sport.

Just like other high school activities that are probably sanctioned in your state – debate, perhaps; in our state, band/choral and cheer/dance are sanctioned, right along with football and the rest – there should be a place in the paper to give some attention to these kids.

I'd try to peddle it to the "life" section or even to your regional/local news second front or whatnot. But I would not reflexively reject the notion that it belongs in the paper.

I fully agree with that. No parents should complain about the placement of a story or a photo, though they will.

 

[KYSportsWriter]

I think the vote "no" is winning by a landslide right now.

 

[Lyman_Bostock]

I'm going to argue that it belongs in the paper. I'm not going to argue, though, that it belongs in sports. It's an activity, not a sport.

Just like other high school activities that are probably sanctioned in your state – debate, perhaps; in our state, band/choral and cheer/dance are sanctioned, right along with football and the rest – there should be a place in the paper to give some attention to these kids.

I'd try to peddle it to the "life" section or even to your regional/local news second front or whatnot. But I would not reflexively reject the notion that it belongs in the paper.

Exactly. Cheerleading isn't a sport, it's an activity. Belongs in the paper, but not in the sports section.

And even then, I would cover only the state championships, no regular-season competitions.

 

[Tom Petty]

has the age old answer ever been different?

 

[SixToe]

heck no.

heck forkin' no.

Call Joan over in Life. She may be able to squeeze it in between the winter crochet club and instructions on how to build a compost bin.

 

[Starman]

Do a series of interviews with coaches and athletes of legitimate girls' sports, and ask them what THEY think of cheerleading as a varsity sport. Be sure and ask the volleyball, basketball and softball coaches who gets new uniforms first, them or the cheerleaders. Also be sure to ask what takes more athletic skill and dedication, cheerleading or their sport.

Especially see if you can track down any gymnastics coaches -- most of them will tell you, flat out, that their sport has been effectively destroyed by the encroachment of cheerleading (or worse, 'dance team') as a "varsity sport."

 

[Bob Loblaw Law Blog]

heck no.

heck forkin' no.

Call Joan over in Life. She may be able to squeeze it in between the winter crochet club and instructions on how to build a compost bin.

Amen. That's what I do.

 

[friend of a friend]

Yes.

Oh wait, I mean NO!

 

[Tom Petty]

Yes.

Oh wait, I mean NO!

now if they were college chicks, that'd be a different story.

 

[Cadet]

Double-check with the state association, which likely sanctions both activities (debate) and athletics (football), and see which one they list cheerleading under. If the state association doesn't sanction it as a sport, you're off the hook.

Your backup argument would be to group it in with band as a "sports support program," which also has competitions but gets their writeup in the community section.

 

[friend of a friend]

Yes.

Oh wait, I mean NO!

now if they were college chicks, that'd be a different story.

Well, yeah. That's a given.

 

[Tom Petty]

Double-check with the state association, which likely sanctions both activities (debate) and athletics (football), and see which one they list cheerleading under. If the state association doesn't sanction it as a sport, you're off the hook.

Your backup argument would be to group it in with band as a "sports support program," which also has competitions but gets their writeup in the community section.

god, when the chicks start coming out against the chicks, you know they're in trouble.