Youth "Competitive Cheerleading" - Help me understand (Page 2)

I understood the difference when I made my original post. I still would not approve/support my daughter being involved in this. Its still competition with no goal in mind other than beating other teams; endless practices and competitions which disrupt families, like soccer/baseball/softball practice. I saw how degrading it was for my stepchildren to lose to other teams and the only kids that got to regularly play were the athletically talented ones. There are many other ways to foster athletic involvement and positive self-esteem without turning it into an activity the entire family revolves around.

Whatever happened to a group of kids just going to a sandlot and playing games where the score didn't count, as we did when I was a child? Why does *everything* have to be organized and supervised now? I don't buy the 'mean dangerous world' crap either, there were child predators when I was a kid too - The Blonde is positive that she was stalked by Ted Bundy in his VW when she was 9, after seeing pictures of him and his VW years later here in Sacramento. Stuff happens. Sometimes I think the real purpose of these teams is the 'my kid is better than your kid' suburbanite syndrome. 

ok.. i'm even MORE lost.. they train, prepare and compete for a skill that is not even put towards it's intended use?? what is the point in "Cheering" when you're not "Cheering" for anybody??

do the "Competitive Cheer" athletes go on to get Cheer scholarships, etc?

lol.. (sorry i have to laugh to myself) Only in Texas

I think you are confused.  This is NOT cheering for sports teams, and is NOT a "sexual incentive for the boys to win."  They ar enowhere near football games, basketball games, etc.  They are either in a cheer gym working out and taking tumbling lessons, or at a cheerleading competition competing against other girls...like a gymnastics meet.  In fact, from what we've been told, most of these girls do not cheer at school because they don't like the exact stereotypes that you guys are displaying.  They stick to competitve cheer and stay away from cheering for sports.

wow, I am sorry your experience with team sports was so bad!   I look back on my years in sports as a kid as very fun and it built many life skills.  

I don't know why everyone is making so much fun of competitive cheering...and/or its name. It's actually a pretty cool sport and their competitions have been televised on NBC, etc. (you should really check one out). I know that when I was in high school, our high school squad did actually enter competitive cheering competitions. I'd imagine they were against other schools, but the routines were more indepth than what you see on the sidelines during a football game or the halftime show. I can only assume that the sport of competitive cheerleading, in the terms we're discussing in this forum, got its name because it stemmed from cheerleading - it is, essentially, the same thing, you're just not leading cheers for a team. They still do builds and jumps and leaps and stuff that regular cheerleaders would do, but their skill level and gymnastic abilities are second to none. It's really quite cool. I am a big supporter of team sports, and I would venture to say that this sport develops teamwork a lot better than others - baseball, football, etc. Every second you're out there, you're counting on your teammates. you're counting on them to catch you, hold you up, not jump into you, keep you in formation, and to help lead you to victory. Unlike other team sports, you can't be carried through by a few good "players" and no one stands out as a star. You are truly as strong as your weakest link.

I think it's really cool your daughter is doing this. I feel bad that people are knocking it, or not giving it respect since it's name doesn't fully imply what the sport is..

Oh, and I wasn't a cheerleader in high school; I was a "real" athlete . Seriously, though, some of these competitive cheerleaders are amazing athletes....far more than what most of you probably saw at your high school and college football games.

I don't know why everyone is making so much fun of competitive cheering...and/or its name. It's actually a pretty cool sport and their competitions have been televised on NBC, etc. (you should really check one out). I know that when I was in high school, our high school squad did actually enter competitive cheering competitions. I'd imagine they were against other schools, but the routines were more indepth than what you see on the sidelines during a football game or the halftime show. I can only assume that the sport of competitive cheerleading, in the terms we're discussing in this forum, got its name because it stemmed from cheerleading - it is, essentially, the same thing, you're just not leading cheers for a team. They still do builds and jumps and leaps and stuff that regular cheerleaders would do, but their skill level and gymnastic abilities are second to none. It's really quite cool. I am a big supporter of team sports, and I would venture to say that this sport develops teamwork a lot better than others - baseball, football, etc. Every second you're out there, you're counting on your teammates. you're counting on them to catch you, hold you up, not jump into you, keep you in formation, and to help lead you to victory. Unlike other team sports, you can't be carried through by a few good "players" and no one stands out as a star. You are truly as strong as your weakest link.

I think it's really cool your daughter is doing this. I feel bad that people are knocking it, or not giving it respect since it's name doesn't fully imply what the sport is..

Oh, and I wasn't a cheerleader in high school; I was a "real" athlete . Seriously, though, some of these competitive cheerleaders are amazing athletes....far more than what most of you probably saw at your high school and college football games.