Alright cheer fanatics, it’s time to get those spirit fingers ready. Although we have all known already that cheerleading is, in fact, a sport. And one of the greatest at that. But the Olympics are FINALLY recognizing cheerleading as a sport too.
A 3-year-long recognition period is put into place where the International Cheer Union ICU can apply for additional grants for the sport, the Olympic Executives can vote to fully recognize the sport in the Olympic games and once the period is over it will be time for them to hit the cheer mats. I’ll take that as a win for the cheer world still.
For those who are not as familiar with the sport, the judges typically score dances, stunts, tumbling, jumps, and smaller things like floor mobility and showmanship. It is not released how the system will work for the Olympics but I can only assume it will be around the same guidelines that cheerleading currently has.
Along with the celebratory title, the International Olympic Committee has granted the International Cheer Union $25,000 annually to help with any expenses they may have. So not only are they getting moral support but financial help to make this dream come true.
The IOC sports director Kit McConnell noted that Cheerleading is a sport with growing popularity especially among the youth and that was taken into consideration when determining what would happen with the future of the sport. Some Olympic sports are hard for children to understand, they aren’t interested in it, or aren’t familiar with the sport but cheerleading is something well known by all ages. It is a sport that almost every school has a program of but when it comes to ski jumping, bobsledding or even badminton, kids aren’t exposed to those in their community so it doesn’t have the appeal cheerleading does.
We may not know when cheerleading will be added to the wonderful list of Olympic sports, but I know that I cannot wait to see that day as I enjoy cheerleading as much as the next. After years and years of hearing how cheerleader isn’t a sport, it is nice to have recognition and maybe now the point can be proved that cheerleading is more cut throat than you think. It’s not easy to perform a 3+ minute routine with dancing, tumbling, chanting, jumping, throwing girls 10+ feet in the air and catching them ready to be held back up in positions you may not even consider possible by 99% of the population all while a smile and crazy facials remain on your face to please the crowd and judges.
Watch out International Olympic Committee, cheerleading is coming for you.
