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Many people do consider it a sport now, and there are lots of competitive cheer teams that travel around the country and compete.
But unfortunately, yes, in high school and college sports, it has become all about "shaking your tushy" around and wearing sexy little outfits. I think that should be done away with. I think cheerleaders should be required to wear pants, in fact. There is no reason for cheerleaders to wear tiny little skirts or shirts that almost show off their privates.
Yes! It's so tiresome that everything is sexualized these days. The loss of modesty and good wholesome examples for young girls in this society is a scandal, and unfortunately, their mothers or aunts (whomever is raising them....) do not seem to get it, either.
Ally's parents are idiots to let her continue practice, Ally is an idiot to "help support the squad blah blah blah" and various others should be prosecuted or flogged in the public square.
Did you notice the look on that coach's face? Looked like he was enjoying the pain he was causing these girls.
Sad to say, but I figured out even back in high school that a lot of coaches are perverts and weirdos, regardless of the sport they coach and regardless of the gender they coach.
Dare I put it at about 50%?
Many others have anger and control issues and feel the need to "dominate" in practice and the need to "win" during games at all costs. For them it's no longer about sport for the sake of sport, but about appeasing internal demons telling them the need to win in order to find fulfillment in life.
On the other hand there are a lot of great coaches out there who do it for the right reasons and make a very positive impact on young lives.
Perhaps we as a society need to vet our coaches more, and I do wish that more parents would get involved at all levels, if nothing else than to monitor the behavior of the people coaching their children.
Sad to say, but I figured out even back in high school that a lot of coaches are perverts and weirdos, regardless of the sport they coach and regardless of the gender they coach.
Dare I put it at about 50%?
Many others have anger and control issues and feel the need to "dominate" in practice and the need to "win" during games at all costs. For them it's no longer about sport for the sake of sport, but about appeasing internal demons telling them the need to win in order to find fulfillment in life.
On the other hand there are a lot of great coaches out there who do it for the right reasons and make a very positive impact on young lives.
Perhaps we as a society need to vet our coaches more, and I do wish that more parents would get involved at all levels, if nothing else than to monitor the behavior of the people coaching their children.
I was much more innocent and less cynical at that age. That is NOT a criticism of your alert perceptions.
Pretty sure all our female coaches were of a certain persuasion. Since half of them looked like linebackers, that wasn't too difficult to figure out.
And yeah, I guess there are bookoo good coaches out there too.
I always wondered why my wrestling coach kept urging me to go away. He said all the good rasslers started in elementary school. Well, we didn't have wrestling in E skool. Some boxing and grappling in the school yard, otherwise nyet.
I wondered if it was to protect his star kid who happened to be in my weight class. Hmmmm. Guy was far better than I was, of course, but I was the only one in his weight class who could compete physically.
Only The Shadow knows!
One of our reserve NCOs was a HS coach. He was definitely a few strawberries short of a full milkshake.
Personally, I never had to "work up to" splits. I could just do them. And yes, splits are not a special talent, but apparently not everyone can do them. And if they can't, they don't need to be on a cheerleading team or in gymnastics. They should find another activity.
You probably "worked up" to splits without even realizing it. Other activities helped you to be lean and limber. Every able-bodied person has the potential to be able to do them, but it takes stretching over long periods of time.
Basketball players don't necessarily walk onto the team with the ability to sink three-pointers. But with practice, they can work up to it. Same with the splits. Cheerleaders don't have to possess that ability before they can join the squad. It's a plus, but not a necessity. Every cheerleader is going to have skills they need to work on to improve. Splits is just one of them.
I was not defending coaches forcing girls into splits. Where in my post did you see that? Please copy and paste where I stated that I think it's okay to use force to put people into splits.
Personally, I never had to "work up to" splits. I could just do them. And yes, splits are not a special talent, but apparently not everyone can do them. And if they can't, they don't need to be on a cheerleading team or in gymnastics. They should find another activity.
That may be true, but for a "coach" not to recognize the physical limitations of a child and to forcefully overextend those limitations, is more than reckless and borders on abuse of a minor. If that were my daughter, I don't care if I had to do time in jail, but I wouldn't let anyone get away with hurting my kid.
That man should not have had his hands on a child. He should never be allowed to have his hands on any child again, ever. If I were the mother, I wouldn't just be after his job, I'd be pressing for an assault charge.
I hope Ally is getting competent counseling -- and not from that school -- as well as physical therapy.
Although I think it was totally wrong for these coaches to force the girls to do splits, I don't think these girls should have been in cheerleading to begin with. Splits is a pretty basic move that cheerleaders should be able to do before they even make the cheer squad. If they can't do it, be honest and tell them to find another sport. I'm way older than these girls are and I can do full splits.
I wouldn't encourage my son to try out for basketball if he was 5'2. And if my daughter wasn't limber, I wouldn't encourage her in cheer or gymnastics. Let's stop lying to our children and pretending they have abilities they don't have.
By your logic if someone can't do what you consider a basic move they shouldn't even bother trying. I guarantee not every cheerleader out there could do splits from day one. Doing the splits isn't an ability, it's something that can be worked up to by just about anyone. When I started in martial arts in jr high I wasn't very limber at all, by high school I could kick as high as 6'6". But I guess I should never have bothered right?
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