Is this a Southern thing?

[Anonymous]

we have recently left the DC area for an area in the south. As the mom of three boys, I am clueless about this but I am really curious...Are classes for Pom/Cheerleading as popular in the North as the South. Seems that everywhere I turn there are little girls in leotards, big bows, uniforms..even beauty pageants are everywhere, there is a
"Little Miss" this and that. I grew up in the Midwest and I swear I don't remember this much of it-although I was a tomboy so it never interested me either. Just seems like a HUGE deal down here. Anyone offer insight?

[Anonymous]

Well, the biggest pro cheerleading programs are in Texas, Florida and California. You know, the ones where they take girls as young as 3/4, and it really is an athletic sport. And the girls grow up to get full-ride scholarships to some top public universities.

Not sure if you consider Texas and Florida the South, though. They're not the Deep South.

[Anonymous]

I heard that cheerleading and drill team type activities are hugely popular in the South. I remember 10-15+ years ago that a mom (in TX?) committed a serious crime related to her daughter's cheerleading rival. Anyone remember that one?

[Anonymous]

op here..I should say that what prompted this question is that it appears that there are fewer girls on my kids' tball/baseball and soccer teams than there were in DC. Thanks for the replies.

[Anonymous]

Cheerleading is a highly respected sport in some areas of the country - and especially in areas of Texas and California.

The pageant thing is a whole different issue and is much more of a class thing than a regionally-specific thing, imho.

[Anonymous]

OP,
where are you in the South? We have been spending lots of time in Florida and parts of it feel very "southern" and other parts dont (S.FL). As a Northerner, I'm amazed at things like beauty paegants, cheering camps for toddlers, etc. But I'm also pleasantly surprised at how kind southerners are!

[Anonymous]

Yes, it is a southern thing. Very popular, just like LAX is a big northesast thing.

[Anonymous]

what is LAX for northerners? I can only think of LAX, Los Angeles International Airport.

[Anonymous]

Lacrosse

[Anonymous]

Football (for boys) and cheerleading (for girls) is much more popular in the South. Just go as far south as Richmond, VA and you'll see more kids in these sports than in the D.C. area. Needless to say, fall soccer is not nearly as popular there as it is up here. My niece lives in Richmond and cheerleading has been her fall sport since she was in Kindergarten. She does basketball in the winder, dance in the spring, and swimming in the summer.

In the South, LAX is practically unheard of except for some private schools.

[Anonymous]

Ha ha, in the South we call LAX "field hockey" and we hate playing it!!

[Anonymous]

I grew up in the South. Yes, it is a huge southern thing. You are pressured to wear the big bows, be a cheerleader,etc. They have pagents for EVERY event. It is ridiculous. As for softball and such if I remember correctly if you played you were in a much different league than the cheerleaders. It is astounding.

One of the reasons I moved away from that area is because I did not want my children to feel pressured to be involved. Growing up is hard enough and to feel pressured to be in a pagent or must be a cheerleader just is too much over the top, IMHO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ha ha, in the South we call LAX "field hockey" and we hate playing it!!

Actually LAX and field hockey are 2 different sports. Field Hockey is another northern thing. Ice Hockey is big in the Great Lakes states too.

[Anonymous]

Another one here who thought LAX was just an airport.

[Anonymous]

I agree that the cheerleading/pageant/dance, Jon Benet-esque stuff is more of a way of life in the South. Ick. I think it's gross...it's all looks-based...putting makeup on 5 year olds...so sick. Sure, the cheerleading folks say it's a sport -- yeah, b/c one or two of them die when their bow heads go thud on the concrete every year. But it's such a sexist thing and so much of it is looking and acting the part.

But it's also very much a class thing -- for many moms, the only avenues for success they see for their daughters is trading on their looks since they themselves probably never had no use for no book learnin' and the way to land Buddy, the football hero is by lookin' purty.