Does cheerleading still have a negative stereotype?

[Anonymous]

When I was a kid, my parents told me that I could be on any team I wanted--but not the one that was just girls on the sidelines cheering for boys.

[Anonymous]

No way is my daughter going to stand on the sideline in a short skirt and sweater bouncing around saying cute little rhymes. Cheerleading may be "new" and "improved" and officially a sport, but at the end of the day, I've come home to my DH watching it on ESPN with handlotion and tissues.

[Anonymous]

As a cheer coach whose squad does not fit into the neat little boxes you all would like, this thread disgusts me. Here are just a few things that might help you realize it is not 1950...my squad had the highest GPA of any sport in the school last year, the captain and co-captain were in the running for Valedictorian (the co-captain won), and the squad practices at least three hours a day during competition season (and not once did they practice "cute little rhymes" or how to bounce around in a sweater). Please support your children in whatever passion they may find -- be it chess, cheerleading, water polo, or rugby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a cheer coach whose squad does not fit into the neat little boxes you all would like, this thread disgusts me. Here are just a few things that might help you realize it is not 1950...my squad had the highest GPA of any sport in the school last year, the captain and co-captain were in the running for Valedictorian (the co-captain won), and the squad practices at least three hours a day during competition season (and not once did they practice "cute little rhymes" or how to bounce around in a sweater). Please support your children in whatever passion they may find -- be it chess, cheerleading, water polo, or rugby.

Short skirts? Pom poms? No tight shirts or tight sweaters? Doubtful.

[Anonymous]

Their skirts are the same lengths as the field hockey and tennis uniforms. They do not wear sweaters. Is their shell form fitting? Yes...as is a swimmers suit and what cyclists wear. Poms are used for visual effect in routines -- as flags are for color guard and costumes for dancers.

[Anonymous]

I'd say that you should encourage your daughter to do what she wants to do.

You should be happy that she isn't wanting to get involved with drugs, alcohol, or mischief.

Why would you discourage your daughter from doing something completely harmless just because there is a 'mean girl' or 'stupid girl' stereotype?

I did cheerleading in high school and took plenty of AP courses. I also was in band. It never stopped me and I never had problems.

Plus... Variety is good!

[Anonymous]

I am a cheerleader and we shouldn't be stereotyped. That just sets a bad explain for your children because you're judging someone based on what everyone says.
Its stupid to steretype people, especially cheeleaders. Sooo, you screw you who say cheerleaders are a bunch of whores who either never go to college or go to community college. I was a cheerleader all the way through high school, now I go to a division 1 college and cheer. And then I will move on to law school, so don't be jealous cause you can't be one

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a cheer coach whose squad does not fit into the neat little boxes you all would like, this thread disgusts me. Here are just a few things that might help you realize it is not 1950...my squad had the highest GPA of any sport in the school last year, the captain and co-captain were in the running for Valedictorian (the co-captain won), and the squad practices at least three hours a day during competition season (and not once did they practice "cute little rhymes" or how to bounce around in a sweater). Please support your children in whatever passion they may find -- be it chess, cheerleading, water polo, or rugby.

Short skirts? Pom poms? No tight shirts or tight sweaters? Doubtful.

You must not have made cheerleading or something because we do have the highest GPA's in the school, and we don't just sit around and take home economics or any easy class like that. We take a full load of AP courses and even college courses. Cheerleaders are stereotyped as dumb, but honestly, we're probably some of the smartest students to go through school. How else would we be able to do a standing full if we didn't know the physics in it? Or to put the strongest girls together to have the highest baskets. I will say this thread also disgust me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No way is my daughter going to stand on the sideline in a short skirt and sweater bouncing around saying cute little rhymes. Cheerleading may be "new" and "improved" and officially a sport, but at the end of the day, I've come home to my DH watching it on ESPN with handlotion and tissues.

Our skirts aren't short and we don't wear sweaters, hunny. Cute little rhymes are far from what we do. Its not our fault you can't give your DH what he wants so he turns to cheerleaders who are NOT like what people stereotype of them. Cheerleaders have more talent than you do in one finger nail sweetheart, so next time you don't make cheerleading, don't make your children suffer.
Cheerleader?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just hearing the word cheerleader makes me cringe. Try out for a dance squad if you're too small for a varsity sports. But cheerleading is archaic. Why do we need a group of girls hopping up and down to inspire a team?

Your daughter may end up getting straight A's, becoming a neuroscientist, and whatever else your cheerleading friends ended up doing. The problem is, it's in spite of cheerleading. You'll always be following the sentence, "She's a cheerleader" with a bunch of buts.

Exactly. And in short skirts. It's dumb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think we should be careful not to steer our kids away from activities because of stereotypes. Would you also steer your son away from lacrosse because of the rich-thug stereotype? My sister in law wouldn't give her son music lessons because she didn't want him to become a "band nerd" (her term). It seems to me we should help kids to break stereotypes -- not perpetuate them.

ITA, I love the whole Glee trend...hate the fact that the old stereotypes about what activities are cool or uncool still persist in many school. Kid at my son's elementary school called him a nerd for being in math club and boy scouts in 3rd grade. * le sigh*.

[Anonymous]

Their skirts are the same lengths as the field hockey and tennis uniforms. They do not wear sweaters. Is their shell form fitting? Yes...as is a swimmers suit and what cyclists wear. Poms are used for visual effect in routines -- as flags are for color guard and costumes for dancers.

The difference: Field hockey and tennis players (and swimmers and cyclists) are playing an actual sport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No way is my daughter going to stand on the sideline in a short skirt and sweater bouncing around saying cute little rhymes. Cheerleading may be "new" and "improved" and officially a sport, but at the end of the day, I've come home to my DH watching it on ESPN with handlotion and tissues.

Our skirts aren't short and we don't wear sweaters, hunny. Cute little rhymes are far from what we do. Its not our fault you can't give your DH what he wants so he turns to cheerleaders who are NOT like what people stereotype of them. Cheerleaders have more talent than you do in one finger nail sweetheart, so next time you don't make cheerleading, don't make your children suffer.
Cheerleader?

Hunny? Sweetheart? Exactly why I will not encourage my daughter not to be a cheerleader. I'm not the poster you quoted, but I can see you in your cheerleader outfit typing this post. Go team.

[Anonymous]

"Hunny" really is awful, isn't it? Why would someone use that term?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Hunny" really is awful, isn't it? Why would someone use that term?

Probably some sort of mental leftover from making up a cute rhyme with "bunny" in it.

I'm trying to imagine a cheer that doesn't rhyme.

Our athletes are mighty
And we are urging them on to victory
While retaining a sense of sportsmanship
And remembering the importance of a balanced life!