Competitive cheerleading has every element of a sport: demanding athletic skill, year round training, written rules, judges, scoring and championships. Whether it is officially called a sport, though, depends on who is doing the classifying. Sideline cheer, which exists mainly to lead crowds and support other teams, is often treated as an activity, while competitive cheer is increasingly recognized as a sport by international bodies and some state associations. The short answer is that competitive cheer clearly functions as a sport, even where its official label lags behind.
Sideline cheer vs competitive cheer
Much of the debate comes from the fact that the word cheerleading covers two quite different things.
| Sideline cheer | Competitive cheer | |
|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | Lead crowds and support school teams | Perform judged routines against other squads |
| Scoring | None | Judges score difficulty, execution and overall performance |
| Skills | Cheers, chants, motions, jumps and some stunts | Stunts, pyramids, tumbling, jumps, tosses and dance |
| Season | Tied to football and basketball schedules | Dedicated competition season, often most of the year |
| Typical setting | Stadiums and gyms during games | Mats at competitions and championships |
Many school squads do both, cheering on the sidelines and competing in separate events. All star cheer, run by private gyms, focuses almost entirely on competition.
Arguments that cheerleading is a sport
- Athletic demands. Cheer requires strength, power, flexibility, balance, coordination and endurance. A competitive routine packs tumbling passes, stunts, jumps and dance into about two and a half minutes of nearly nonstop effort.
- Rules and scoring. Competitive cheer has governing bodies, safety rules, level systems and detailed score sheets used by trained judges.
- Training volume. Serious cheer athletes train for many hours a week, often year round, with conditioning, skill work and routine practice.
- Injury risk. Like other sports, cheer carries real injury risks, including sprains, fractures and concussions, which is why safety rules and certified coaching matter.
- International recognition. The International Olympic Committee granted full recognition to the International Cheer Union in 2021, a step that treats cheer as an official sport at the international level, though it is not currently part of the Olympic program.
Why official status varies
In the United States, whether school cheer counts as a sport is decided largely at the state and institutional level. Some state high school associations sanction competitive cheer as a sport with official championships, while others classify cheer as an activity or spirit program. That classification affects things like funding, facilities, coaching requirements, eligibility rules and how schools count athletes for gender equity purposes.
Title IX is a major reason the question matters. In Biediger v. Quinnipiac University, decided in 2010, a federal court ruled that the university’s competitive cheer team could not yet be counted as a varsity sport for Title IX purposes, largely because the activity lacked a consistent competitive structure at the time. The decision was later upheld on appeal. The case did not say cheer can never be a sport, but it showed that recognition depends on organization, competition structure and governance, not just athleticism.
Since then, college level formats built for sport recognition have grown. Acrobatics and tumbling and STUNT are two examples designed with standardized competition structures, and acrobatics and tumbling has been recognized by the NCAA through its emerging sports program for women.
A brief history of cheerleading as competition
Cheerleading began in the late 1800s at US colleges as organized crowd leading, and for much of its history it was mainly a sideline activity. Over the 20th century, squads added gymnastics, stunts and dance. Organized cheer competitions grew from the 1980s onward, including nationally televised college and high school championships, and all star cheer, with private gyms fielding teams solely to compete, expanded rapidly from the 1990s.
That shift from supporting other teams to competing in its own right is the heart of the sport debate. The more cheer has developed standardized rules, levels, safety certifications and championships, the more it has looked like other recognized sports. Today, cheer athletes compete at local, national and international events, including world championships organized by the International Cheer Union and the U.S. All Star Federation.
What the sport debate means for athletes
For individual cheerleaders, official status can have practical effects. Where cheer is sanctioned as a sport, athletes may have access to athletic trainers, better facilities, sports physicals, insurance coverage and eligibility rules like other varsity athletes. Where it is classified as an activity, some of those supports may be limited. If you are choosing a program, ask how your school or gym classifies cheer and what that means for safety resources, coaching certification and medical support.
How competitive cheer is judged
Competitive routines are usually scored on several broad areas. Exact score sheets vary by organization and level, but most include:
- Stunts and pyramids: difficulty, execution, synchronization and the number of athletes involved.
- Tumbling: standing and running skills, difficulty and technique.
- Jumps: height, flexibility and synchronization.
- Tosses: height, body position and clean catches, where allowed.
- Dance and motions: sharpness, timing and energy.
- Overall performance: showmanship, routine composition and creativity.
Deductions for falls, safety violations and illegal skills are common. Levels, similar to divisions, determine which skills are allowed, so athletes progress through a structured system much like gymnastics.
Rulebook note: safety rules, skill levels and scoring criteria are set by bodies such as USA Cheer, the U.S. All Star Federation, the NFHS for school spirit programs and the International Cheer Union for international events. These rules are revised regularly, so check the current version for your program.
How to decide if cheer is right for you
- Decide on your goal. Supporting school teams, competing, or both.
- Research local options. School squads, all star gyms and recreational programs all offer different experiences.
- Watch practices and competitions. See the training load and atmosphere firsthand.
- Build basic fitness. Strength, flexibility and conditioning will make learning skills safer and easier.
- Take a tumbling or cheer class. Try the sport before committing to a full season.
Common misconceptions about cheerleading
| Misconception | Reality |
|---|---|
| Cheer is just chanting on the sidelines | Competitive cheer centers on difficult stunts, tumbling and jumps |
| It is not physically demanding | Routines require power, strength, flexibility and endurance |
| It is low risk | Stunting and tumbling carry real injury risks that require trained coaching |
| Only one type of athlete can cheer | Squads need flyers, bases, spots and tumblers with different strengths |
| It is only for girls | Many teams include male athletes, and coed divisions are common |
Health note
Health note: cheerleading, especially stunting and tumbling, can lead to serious injuries, including concussions. Athletes should train under certified coaches, on proper surfaces, with appropriate progressions and spotting. Anyone with a suspected head injury should stop immediately and be evaluated by a medical professional before returning to practice.
Frequently asked questions
Is cheerleading an Olympic sport?
Not currently. The IOC granted full recognition to the International Cheer Union in 2021, which is a step toward possible inclusion, but cheer has not yet been added to the Olympic program.
Is cheerleading considered a sport in high school?
It depends on the state. Some state associations sanction competitive cheer as a sport, while others classify it as an activity. Check your state association’s current rules.
Is cheerleading harder than other sports?
Difficulty is hard to compare across sports, but competitive cheer demands a rare mix of strength, flexibility, power, coordination and teamwork, performed with very little room for error.
