The New York Times states that cheerleading is the fastest growing girls' sport, yet more than half of Americans do not believe it is a sport.
A sport, according to the Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Advisors, is a "physical activity against/with an the opponent (对手), governed by rules and conditions under which a winner is declared, and the primary purpose of the competition is a comparison of the relative skills of the participants". Because cheerleading follows these guidelines, it is a sport.
Cheerleading includes lots of physical activity. Like gymnasts, cheerleaders must learn to perform lifts and tosses. This is where the "fliers" are thrown in the air, held by "bases" in different positions that require strength and cooperation with other teammates.
Cheerleaders goal is to be the best. Just like gymnasts, they are awarded points for difficulty, technique, creativity and sharpness. The more difficult the motions, the better the score. Cheerleading is a team sport, so without cooperation, first place is out of reach.
So why do many Americans not think cheerleading is a sport? Some people argue that cheerleaders are just "flirts (摆动)in skirts" with their only job to entertain the crowd, but cheerleaders today compete against other teams and work just as hard as other athletes.
Cheerleading is a sport. It is a physical activity that is governed by rules under which a winner can be declared and its primary purpose is to compare the skills of participants. Hopefully, cheerleading will become as well-known a sport as football and basketball, and even appear in the Olympics since cheerleaders are just as athletic and physically fit as those involved in the more accepted sports.
a. rules b. audiences c. skills d. competitions e. balls
