December 9, 2013

Michayla Berthiaume

ENGL 102

Toulmin Essay

November 13, 2013

Is the High School Dropout Age Set too Low?

            With the requirements for high school graduation becoming harder, more students find themselves wanting to dropout, but cannot based on society’s new view on education. A go to job for dropouts use to be McDonalds and other bottom of the barrel minimum wage jobs, but now even McDonalds is looking for employees with a high school diploma or GED. With these jobs, dropouts will never really advance themselves to a satisfying position or find a job that will support the dropout for the rest of their life. Students who make the decision to dropout are too young and naive to know what mistake they are making, which is why dropping out should not be as easy as turning sixteen and having their teachers sign a piece of paper. Most states have their dropout rate corresponding to their legal age of employment for the reason of having a second option. In today’s society, there is a stress on the importance of education rather than on employment for teenagers. Although many go on and find fortunes as a drop out, the number of successful dropouts is dwindling due to society valuing education and requiring at least a high school diploma or a General Educational Development (GED) for most jobs.

Having a high school diploma or GED is much more crucial to a successful career then it was twenty years ago because the U.S is advancing at a much faster pace, and students must be prepared for jobs that have not even been discovered yet. Currently, there are very few people who can go on making a fortune, such as with trades, without a high school education. According to Richmond, data reported that in 2010-2011 1.8 million young adults (which, not surprisingly, includes a disproportionate percentage of minorities) have left school without a diploma (“High School Graduation Rate Hits 40-Year Peak in the U.S”). Of those 1.2 million—66 percent—are not working (Richmond). The main reason those 66 percent are not working, is because they are either too lazy to get a job or cannot get a job because places value education more now than ever. That 66 percent will someday have a minimum wage job, but with minimum wage being so low, one day when the former dropout has a place to live and a family, the government will have to support them to live. Where the money comes from to support the welfare programs is the money that comes out of taxes of the working class who went ahead and got an education and a real job.

There are only 6 out of 50 states that have a minimum wage over eight dollars and only Washington state has their minimum wage over 9 dollars. All other states must at least reach the U.S federal wage baseline of $7.25 (CNN Money). Even if the high school dropout were fortunate enough to live in one of those states that has a pay of over 8 dollars an hour and working maybe 50 weeks of the year, before taxes they would only make roughly 2,900 dollars. This might work for someone who has no kids, no house of their own and no bills to pay. Once these factors begin to come into play, there is no way to live successfully off a salary of 2,900 dollars per year. There is no chance of horizontal or vertical mobility in minimum wage jobs and there is only a certain level of ranking that can be reached. The median income of a person aged 18 through 65 who had not completed high school was roughly $24,000 in 2007. By comparison, the median income of persons ages 18 through 65 who completed their education with a high school credential, including a General Educational Development (GED) certificate, was approximately $40,000 (High School Dropout Rates:2007).

As a current college student I have struggled earning enough money to pay my car insurance, simple living expenses, and having money for fun. I am in college now, with a high school diploma because I know from experience what I have to do to someday have a house, kids and be able to live a comfortable life. My mother never went to college due to having a child in her teenage years, but because she had a high school diploma and enjoyed working with numbers she was given an opportunity at an insurance office. From there, she was able to build her career. However, even now that she makes a decent living for herself she wouldn’t be paid the same amount as another person with the very same position who has a college degree.

            Just like it showed of my mother, those who at least have a high school diploma show that they can handle and complete a major challenge in their life. More jobs will be willing to take a person with no post-secondary option over someone without even a high school diploma. It can show something about an individual’s character that as soon as something gets tough or they get sick of it, quitting is the first option. Employers are looking for loyal and dedicated workers that will not have to worry about their employees leaving at any moment. If there are no other means of an education, at least a high school diploma or a GED must be obtained. The nation's high school graduation rate is approaching 75 percent, its highest rate in 40 years (Emily Richmond). Just since 2000 there has been an 8 percent increase in graduates, this is showing how valued our education is becoming and students are realizing they need to stay in school.

            Students who are sixteen years old are not nearly as mature as they think in making a life changing decision as to drop out of school. They are still under their parents rule with close to zero responsibilities, especially money based responsibilities. As of October of 2013, Eighteen other states and the District of Columbia already set the minimum dropout age at 18, the other states set the maximum age of mandatory attendance at 16 or 17 (Adrienne Lu). Massachusetts is one of the last states to consider raising the drop out age to 18 in an effort to improve graduation rates. Most high school students do not turn 18 until their senior year or sometime after they graduate from high school. If they can keep kids in school until their senior year or close to the very end of senior year, hopefully students will choose to graduate rather than dropout with less than a year left.

Although, this will surely raise the graduation rate, it could cause more problems for schools internally. If students can’t get out of school when they want too, they take up class time being disruptive causing other students to not be able to learn. It will also cause administration to be focusing all their time on the delinquent kids rather than the school as a whole. Not all kids are meant for school or learning in that type of structured environment. Unfortunately, it does not just come down to the well-being of the student that officials are looking out for. Democratic state Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz said, “We have 70 percent of our jail and prison population as people who have dropped out of high school,” adding that 70 percent of jobs in the near future will require some postsecondary education. “If we are not graduating all of our students, we are setting ourselves up for some serious economic problems down the road” (Adrienne Lu). Once the drop out age is made higher, problems of dropouts will be solved economically in the future.

The problem is to make the step towards keeping students in school long enough to graduate, but raising the age will do just that.

Times have changed since the establishment of the dropout age, there is now more of a stress on education rather than a job. That is why sixteen is not an appropriate age to dropout. It is crucial for the student to be at least eighteen to make a responsible decision about how they will support themselves financially, and have a chance at obtaining a job that will not be paying minimum wage. The dropout rate has decreased as students themselves have realized the importance of education and the demand for an education for jobs that have not even been created yet. If students do not go on to get a college education, at least a high school diploma or GED is necessary to withhold a job to support themselves for the rest of their life.

           

Works Cited

"High School Dropout and Completion Rates in in the United States:2007." Institute of Education Sciences. U.S Department Of Education, n.d. Web. <http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2009/2009064.pdf>.

"High School Dropout Statistics." Statistic Brain RSS. N.p., 28 Apr. 2013. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. <http://www.statisticbrain.com/high-school-dropout-statistics/>.

Lu, Adrienne. "The Pew Charitable Trusts." The Pew Charitable Trusts. N.p., 11 Oct. 2013. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. <http://www.pewstates.org/projects/stateline/headlines/massachusetts-debates-raising-school-dropout-age-to-18-85899511781>.

Richmond, Emily. "High School Graduation Rate Hits 40-Year Peak in the U.S." The Atlantic. N.p., 6 June 2013. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. <http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/06/high-school-graduation-rate-hits-40-year-peak-in-the-us/276604/>.

"Training & Education." :: McDonalds.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. <http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/careers/training_education.html>.

"2013 Minimum Wage, State by State." CNNMoney. Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. <http://money.cnn.com/interactive/pf/state-minimum-wage/>.

 

December 9, 2013

Michayla Berthiaume

ENGL 102

Rogerian Argument

30 October 2013

Trouble with the Curfew: Parents versus Teenagers

For many years in the United States, there have been curfews enforced on teenagers by both the law and by parents. The main purpose of these measures is to keep teenagers off the streets and into their houses after a certain time to reduce crime, to keep them safe, to prevent driving under the influence, and to lessen being influenced to commit crimes; however, the trouble teenagers get into at night is just as accessible during the day. Getting into car accidents with friends, getting kidnapped, doing drugs or committing crimes, do not just happen after midnight. Situational curfews and parental enforcement impact teenagers to make more responsible decisions, but teenagers are more likely to rebel when they are restricted.

A curfew is a regulation requiring certain or all people to leave the streets or be at home at a prescribed hour. It is normally enforced on teenagers and the main purpose is to keep kids safe. According to Favro, curfews can be enforced not only by parents, but in some places like Philadelphia and Detroit it is a law ("City Mayors”). In other places, there are also curfew laws on driving as in Rhode Island; there is a nighttime driving restriction that prohibits teenagers under 18 from driving between one to five o’clock in the morning (“RI Driving Permit Rules”). A permitted driver can drive during this time if you are traveling to/from an employment or school related activity for which no other transportation is available or when you have a supervising driver seated next to you (“RI Driving Permit Rules”). This curfews primary purpose is to prevent accidents, but the problem is, it is not strictly enforced and unless a teenager was to get pulled over for doing something illegal, cops will not know your age and if you are violating the curfew laws. The consensus of society says that curfews keeps kids safe, prevents accidents and lessens the chances of them being involved in or committing a crime. Teenagers are always safer in their own homes and having a curfew with consequences would help them make smarter choices about the decisions they make before coming home, or so most think. In theory a curfew would always sound like a sensible solution, but there is a vast difference between ideal and real.

The problem with teenagers and putting a restriction on curfews is that because the rules say no, teenager’s rebel. It is just like with the drinking age being 21, those who are underage still drink and sometimes drink more than those of age just because it’s illegal and a way to rebel. The danger not only comes from what could happen if kids did not have a curfew, but also how teenagers could lie and find a way around doing things they are not supposed to do. Every crime that is committed at night can be done during the day. Just like in Detroit, the crime rate dropped 6 percent during curfew hours, but increased 13 percent during the mid-afternoon (Jonathan Zimmerman). Typical behavior at a teenage party is to drink, smoke or do drugs, and parents think that by restricting the teenagers to certain hours of the night that it will stop the deviant behavior, but teenagers will somehow find a way to still drink and smoke either during the day, or lying as to where they are supposed to be staying over that night. When teenagers start to lie about where they are and who they are with to avoid getting in trouble, the parents then have no control over what is happening and if they were to go missing or something happen the parents would have no answers as to where they were last seen, who they were with, or what they were doing. Some parents even argue to the extreme that these law enforced curfews infringe on their role as parents to make and decide their own rules. The city asserts that the ordinance promotes ‘parental supervision' of minors… But the curfew fails to offer parents enough flexibility or autonomy in supervising their children (Tony Farvo). This statement concludes that parents don’t have the chance to discipline their kids as they see fix and carry out situational curfews and ultimately have control over their child.

The world fifty years ago is not the same as it was today, but in some ways it may be better. Every grandparent has stories of being outside all afternoon with their friends and their curfew was coming home for dinner solely for the purpose of their parents knowing something was not wrong. There were no cell phones during their day and curfews seemed to be more of a necessity. In today’s world parents can know the exact location of their kids with an app. We now live in a world of technology where it is pretty easy to get in touch with just about anyone and in all cell phones is a GPS. If teenagers are not going to make curfew, are in some kind of trouble, or need to get ahold of their parents, or vice versa, they can simply pick up the phone and call. For parental enforced curfews there should be a better system such as situational curfews depending on who and where the individual is going. This will help the teenager gain more respect for the parents, and it will make teenagers less likely to violate the curfew.

Curfews are popular among adults because they are inexpensive in relation to other crime-fighting tools, and they are easy to understand. If a child is home in their own house they are safe and therefore not getting into any real trouble. However, there is little evidence that says that these curfews actually deter crime and reduce juvenile victimization (Tony Farvo). In the earlier years curfews had a simpler solution to keep kids off the streets, but today they are trying to solve more complex problems. In some places like San Antonio, Texas, Cincinnati and New Orleans, curfews did decrease the crime rate but no one really knew how or why because there could be too many determining factors (“City Mayors”). Cities everywhere enact their curfews in different ways. Also, how and when they begin carrying out the curfews makes it difficult to do a study and test the effectiveness of curfews. While the effectiveness and constitutionality of curfews will continue to be studied and debated in universities, courts, and City Halls, what seems clear is that, at best, a curfew is a tool to identify a problem, not a solution (Tony Favro).

Curfews provide both positive and negative functions to society. A curfew at night for teenagers will keep them off the streets and prevent them from being involved and committing crimes. However, crime that is committed at night can be committed during the day and the effectiveness of the curfews is often questioned. If there was no state or city enforced curfew only parental enforced curfew, parents may have more control over their teenagers and be able to dictate the curfews based on who their child is with, and what they are doing. This could help to create more respect and trust for each other, and in the long run it could help stop crimes. Curfews are only enforced and likeable to some because of their short term ability to stop nighttime crime at a low cost. The problem is it does nothing for the long term effect of crime, it is only a temporary solution.

 

Works Cited

"Do Curfews Keep Teens out of Trouble?" The Premier Online Debate Website. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Nov. 2013. <http://www.debate.org/opinions/do-curfews-keep-teens-out-of-trouble>.

Favro, Tony. "City Mayors: Youth Curfews in US Cities." City Mayors: Youth Curfews in US Cities. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Nov. 2013. <http://www.citymayors.com/society/usa-youth-curfews.html>.

"Rhode Island Learners Permit Restrictions - RI Driving Permit Rules." Education4 Drivers.com. N.p., 21 Sept. 2010. Web. 06 Nov. 2013. <http://education4drivers.com/rhode-island/permit-restrictions-rules.htm>.

Zimmerman, Jonathan. "Curfews Don't Keep Kids out of Trouble." NewsWorks. N.p., 25 Oct. 2011. Web. 06 Nov. 2013. <http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/thats-history/28876-curfews-dont-keep-kids-out-of-trouble>.

 

 

October 7, 2013

Michayla Berthiaume

ENGL -023

Definition Argument

1 October 2013

Should Cheerleading be considered a Sport?

Fig. 1. The Oregon cheerleading team is preforming a basket toss, showing the danger and skill that is involved in cheerleading (Photograph by Evans in Gregory).

 

            Many people think cheerleading is nothing but girls throwing their hands in the air making up rhymes to cheer on a team. What most do not understand is how much cheerleading has evolved since the first organized team in 1898. Cheering on the sidelines of a football or basketball game is an activity, however competitive cheerleading, such as all stars and competition teams, should be considered a sport based on how challenging and physically demanding it is to accomplish. A sport is defined as “an activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and is often undertaken competitively” (The free dictionary.com). Under these very broad terms cheerleading fits the definition of a sport perfectly.

 The most common argument is that a real sport involves playing a game and having physical contact with their opponents. Whether on a field or on a mat the best team always wins.  In football, unexpected things happen, but there are four quarters to score and win. With cheerleading there is only 2 minutes and 30 seconds to perform the absolute best, with no mistakes. There are no second chances, which makes cheerleading more of a challenge and creates more pressure on the team, than any type of game.  An article written by Bill Pennington in the New York Times on cheerleading injuries, states, “For decades, they stood by safe and smiling, a fixture on America’s sporting sidelines. But today’s young cheerleaders, who perform tricks once reserved for trapeze artists, may be in more peril than any female athletes in the country”  (“As cheerleaders Soar”). This statement acknowledges the level of difficulty it takes to perform such tasks, and gives insight on why cheerleaders should be given the respect they deserve.  

 From 1982-2005, there have been 104 catastrophic injuries sustained by female high school and college athletes, that range from head to spinal injuries that sometimes result in death. The National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injuries research reported that more than half of these injuries were from cheerleading, and all the other sports combined did not surpass cheerleading’s numbers (Pennington, 2007). This statistic proves how physically demanding the sport is on its participants. Considering how cheerleading is a no-contact sport, these are very high numbers that should cause concern to those who participate in the sport. In addition, as the sport increases in complexity, so do the numbers of those who become injured in competition.

The athletes must be physically fit in order to perform at the very best of their ability. They must also be able to lift fellow athletes, they need to be able to do a wide variety of jumps, and they must be able to dance for a rigorous two and a half minutes, without injury. Today, cheerleading involves skills that require the strength of a football player, the grace of dancer and the agility of a gymnast. Complex maneuvers are performed that challenge the limits of the body (“Cheerleading as a Sport”). Not everyone is meant to be a cheerleader. Even those individuals who think they are able to become a cheerleader still face very demanding qualifications in maintaining their status as a cheerleader.

All hope for cheerleading came to a halt in 2009, when a judge in Connecticut declared that cheerleading is not a sport. As a result of the decision, Quinnipiac University took out woman’s volleyball and replaced it with competitive cheerleading (History of Title IX). Angry members of the volleyball team took the matter to court, and the judge ruled under the conditions of Title IX that cheerleading did not qualify (History of Title IX). Without knowing anything about cheerleading, he made an assumption that cheerleading was still too disorganized and messy to be a part of the organization of Title IX. From this one incident cheerleading is not recognized in the legal world as a sport. Since then, coaches have been performing trickery to bend to the rules of Title IX. Coaches began putting down names of males that are not on the team to show “fairness” that cheerleading is not just a woman’s sport. Sean Gregory of Time states, “In fact, there’s a much easier way for colleges to comply with Title IX without resorting to such absurd mischief. The adults who run college sports need to show some common sense and recognize a fast-growing, legitimate women’s sport right in front of their eyes” (“One Cure for Title IX Woes”). This statement is very true in a sense that if cheerleading is recognized as a legitimate sport, and has a set of rules to follow with consequences to breaking the rules, it might make for it to be a safer, more organized sport.

 

In the simplest terms an athlete is a person trained to compete in sports or exercises involving physical strength, speed, or endurance (the free dictionary.com). By this definition anyone who participates in a sport, or is on a team, is an athlete. Cheerleaders compete against other teams, but it is not cheerleading’s sole purpose. The definition of a sport, according to The Women’s Sports Foundation is, it must be a physical activity which involves propelling a mass through space or overcoming the resistance of mass. “Contesting” or competing against/with an opponent. It must be governed by rules that explicitly define the time, space, and purpose of the contest and the conditions under which a winner is declared, and finally, acknowledgement that the primary purpose of the competition is a comparison of the relative skills of the participants (Lauchaire). Cheerleading fits all of these rules except the last qualification states that the primary reason for cheerleading’s existence is competition verses other teams or individuals within a competition structure comparable to other ‘athletic’ activities. Cheerleading’s primary purpose is to cheer on other sports teams and provide school unity; competition comes second. 

Since the first organized team in 1898, teams all over the country have come a long way in appearance, difficulty, and being primarily female dominated opposed to all male teams (Wikipedia, History). Cheerleading is no longer known just as cheering on football and sports teams, but as a dangerous and rigorous sport involving dancing, gymnastics, and stunting. As shown in figure 1. Dangerous and difficult stunts are now preformed that must be taken very seriously and done properly so none of the cheerleaders get injured. Just like any other sport, cheerleading takes commitment and dedication. In order to maintain their status of a cheerleader, tumbling skills must be improved with every season which involves many extra hours of practice on their own time. Cheerleading was created for, and still has the reputation for its primary purpose being to unite people on a particular sport, which is why it cannot be identified and recognized as a sport, such as soccer or baseball.

Cheerleading being a legitimate sport is an ongoing argument and organizations are working towards changing the qualifications that define a sport. Cheerleading teams today cannot be compared to the first organized teams in 1898. “Rah Rah” and “wah hoo” does not exist anymore, even the complexity of sideline cheers has evolved. There is no reason for cheerleading to not be qualified as a sport in the year 2013. Cheerleading is going to continue to evolve even more than it already has in the years to come. There should be exceptions for different types of cheerleading in order to receive the respect and recognition cheerleaders deserve.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkzFTEZVEek

 

Works Cited

"Cheerleading as a Sport." AACCA.org. The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and           Administrators, n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2013. <https://www.aacca.org/content.aspx?item=Resources/Test.xml>.

"Cheerleading." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 09 Oct. 2013. Web. 17 Sept. 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheerleading>.

Gregory, Sean. "Sports." Sports One Cure for Title IX Woes Make Cheerleading a Sport Comments. Time Sports, 29 Apr. 2011. Web. 24 Sept. 2013.

"History of Title IX." TitleIX.info. Northridge Interactions, n.d. Web. 17 Sept. 2013. <http://www.titleix.info/History/History-Overview.aspx>.

Lauchaire, Nicole. "Being a Cheerleader - Is Cheerleading a Sport?" Varsity.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Sept. 2013. <http://www.varsity.com/event/1262/being-a-cheerleader-sport>.

Pennington, Bill. "As Cheerleaders Soar Higher, So Do the Risks."The New York Times. The New York Times, 31 Mar. 2007. Web. 17 Sept. 2013.

 

Michayla Berthiaume

ENGL -023

Definition Argument

1 October 2013

Should Cheerleading be Considered a Sport?

http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2011/04/29/one-cure-for-title-ix-woes-make-cheerleading-a-sport/  Fig. 1. The Oregon cheerleading team is preforming a basket toss, showing the danger and skill that is involved in cheerleading.

            Many people think cheerleading is nothing but girls throwing their hands in the air making up rhymes to cheer on a team. What most do not understand is how much cheerleading has evolved since the first organized team in 1898. Cheering on the sidelines of a football or basketball game is an activity, however competitive cheerleading, such as all stars and competition teams, should be considered a sport based on how challenging and physically demanding it is to accomplish. A sport is defined as “an activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and is often undertaken competitively” (The free dictionary.com). Under these very broad terms cheerleading fits the definition of a sport perfectly.

 The most common argument is that a real sport involves playing a game and having physical contact with their opponents. Whether on a field or on a mat the best team always wins.  In football, unexpected things happen, but there are four quarters to score and win. With cheerleading there is only 2 minutes and 30 seconds to perform the absolute best, with no mistakes. There are no second chances, which makes cheerleading more of a challenge and creates more pressure on the team, than any type of game.  An article written by Bill Pennington in the New York Times on cheerleading injuries, states, “For decades, they stood by safe and smiling, a fixture on America’s sporting sidelines. But today’s young cheerleaders, who perform tricks once reserved for trapeze artists, may be in more peril than any female athletes in the country”  (“As cheerleaders Soar”). This statement acknowledges the level of difficulty it takes to perform such tasks, and gives insight on why cheerleaders should be given the respect they deserve.  

 From 1982-2005, there have been 104 catastrophic injuries sustained by female high school and college athletes, that range from head to spinal injuries that sometimes result in death. The National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injuries research reported that more than half of these injuries were from cheerleading, and all the other sports combined did not surpass cheerleading’s numbers (Pennington, 2007). This statistic proves how physically demanding the sport is on its participants. Considering how cheerleading in a no-contact sport these are very high numbers that are concerning and on the rise. The athletes must be physically fit in order to perform the very best and be able to lift, jump and dance for a rigorous two and a half minutes, without injury. Today, cheerleading involves skills that require the strength of football, the grace of dance and the agility of gymnastics. Complex maneuvers are performed that challenge the limits of the body (AACCA).   Not everyone is meant to be a cheerleader and there are some very demanding qualifications in becoming one.

All hope for cheerleading came to a halt in 2009, when a judge in Connecticut declared that cheerleading is not a sport. As a result of the decision, Quinnipiac University took out woman’s volleyball and replaced it with competitive cheerleading (History of Title IX). Angry members of the volleyball team took the matter to court, and the judge ruled under the conditions of Title IX that cheerleading did not qualify (History of Title IX). Without knowing anything about cheerleading, he made an assumption that cheerleading was still too disorganized and messy to be a part of the organization of Title IX. From this one incident cheerleading is not recognized in the legal world as a sport. Since then, coaches have been performing trickery to bend to the rules of Title IX. Coaches began putting down names of males that are not on the team to show “fairness” that cheerleading is not just a woman’s sport. Sean Gregory of Time states, “In fact, there’s a much easier way for colleges to comply with Title IX without resorting to such absurd mischief. The adults who run college sports need to show some common sense and recognize a fast-growing, legitimate women’s sport right in front of their eyes” (“One Cure for Title IX Woes”). This statement is very true in a sense that if cheerleading is recognized as a legitimate sport, and has a set of rules to follow with consequences to breaking the rules, it might make for it to be a safer, more organized sport.

The definition of a sport, according to The Women’s Sports Foundation is, it must be a physical activity which involves propelling a mass through space or overcoming the resistance of mass. “Contesting” or competing against/with an opponent. It must be governed by rules that explicitly define the time, space, and purpose of the contest and the conditions under which a winner is declared, and finally, acknowledgement that the primary purpose of the competition is a comparison of the relative skills of the participants (Lauchaire). Cheerleading fits all of these rules except the last qualification states that the primary reason for cheerleading’s existence is competition verses other teams or individuals within a competition structure comparable to other ‘athletic’ activities. Cheerleading’s primary purpose is to cheer on other sports teams and provide school unity, and competition comes second. 

Since the first organized team in 1898, teams all over the country have come a long way in appearance, difficulty, and being primarily female dominated opposed to all male teams (Wikipedia, History). Cheerleading is no longer known just as cheering on football and sports teams, but as a dangerous and rigorous sport. Cheerleading was created for, and still has the reputation for its primary purpose being to unite people on a particular sport, so it cannot be identified and recognized as a sport, such as soccer or baseball. Cheerleading being a legitimate sport is an ongoing argument and organizations are working towards changing the qualifications that define a sport. There should be exceptions for different types of cheerleading in order to receive the respect and recognition cheerleaders deserve.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkzFTEZVEek

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

"Cheerleading as a Sport." AACCA.org. The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and           Administrators, n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2013. <https://www.aacca.org/content.aspx?item=Resources/Test.xml>.

"Cheerleading." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 09 Oct. 2013. Web. 17 Sept. 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheerleading>.

Gregory, Sean. "Sports." Sports One Cure for Title IX Woes Make Cheerleading a Sport Comments. Time Sports, 29 Apr. 2011. Web. 24 Sept. 2013.

"History of Title IX." TitleIX.info. Northridge Interactions, n.d. Web. 17 Sept. 2013. <http://www.titleix.info/History/History-Overview.aspx>.

Lauchaire, Nicole. "Being a Cheerleader - Is Cheerleading a Sport?" Varsity.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Sept. 2013. <http://www.varsity.com/event/1262/being-a-cheerleader-sport>.

Pennington, Bill. "As Cheerleaders Soar Higher, So Do the Risks."The New York Times. The New York Times, 31 Mar. 2007. Web. 17 Sept. 2013.

 

September 24, 2013

Michayla Berthiaume

ENGL 102-023

Definition Essay

11 September 2013

Should Cheerleading be Considered a Sport?
 

Many people think cheerleading is nothing but girls throwing their hands in the air making up rhymes to cheer on a team. What most do not understand is how much cheerleading has evolved since the first organized team in 1898 . Cheering on the sidelines of a football or basketball game is an activity, however competitive cheerleading, such as all stars and competition teams, should be considered a sport based on how challenging and physically demanding it is to accomplish. A sport is defined as “an activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and is often undertaken competitively” (The free dictionary.com). Under these very broad terms cheerleading fits perfectly.

 The most common argument is that a real sport involves playing a game and having physical contact with their opponents. Whether on a field or on a mat the best team always wins.  In football, unexpected things happen, but there are four quarters to score and win. With cheerleading there is only 2 minutes and 30 seconds to do your absolute best, with no mistakes. There are no second chances, which makes cheerleading more of a challenge and creates more pressure than any type of game.  An article written by Bill Pennington in the New York Times on cheerleading injuries, states, “For decades, they stood by safe and smiling, a fixture on America’s sporting sidelines. But today’s young cheerleaders, who perform tricks once reserved for trapeze artists, may be in more peril than any female athletes in the country”  (“As cheerleaders Soar”). This statement acknowledges the level of difficulty it takes to perform such tasks, and gives insight on why cheerleaders should be given the respect they deserve.  

 From 1982-2005 there have been 104 catastrophic injuries sustained by female high school and college athletes, that range from head to spinal injuries that sometimes result in death. The National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injuries research reported that more than half of these injuries were from cheerleading, and all the other sports combined did not surpass cheerleading’s numbers (Pennington, 2007). This statistic proved how physically demanding the sport actually is. Considering how cheerleading in a no contact sport these are very high numbers. To be able to throw catch and properly execute stunts, it takes a lot of focus, time and power; none of which comes overnight. Blood sweat and tears are put into cheerleading just as much as football players put into their game. Not everyone is meant to be a cheerleader and there are some very demanding qualifications.

 In Cheerleading, there is no individual score sheet and winner, unlike wrestling; a wrestler can win for himself but lose the meet. One cheerleader cannot win or lose the champion title; it is solely dependent on the team to work together to be the very best in the allotted two minutes and thirty seconds. Without one person it directly effects the entire team. In cheerleading, every teammate must depend on each other more than in any other sport because people’s lives can be at risk. Being throw ten feet into the air takes a lot of trust that the top girl will not hit the ground. In order to perform the very best and be able to lift, jump and dance for a rigorous two and a half minutes, you must be physically fit. Today, cheerleading involves skills that require the strength of football, the grace of dance and the agility of gymnastics. Complex maneuvers are preformed that challenge the limits of the body (AACCA).

  All hope for cheerleading came to a halt in 2009, when a judge in Connecticut declared cheerleading is not a sport when Quinnipiac University took out woman’s volleyball and replaced it with competitive cheerleading. Angry members of the volleyball team took the matter to court, and the judge ruled under the conditions of Title IX that cheerleading did not qualify (TitleIX, History). Without knowing anything about cheerleading he made an assumption that cheerleading was still to disorganized and messy to be a part of the organization of Title IX. Because of this one incident cheerleading is not recognized in the legal world as a sport. Since then, coaches have been preforming trickery to bend to the rules of Title IX such as putting down names of males that arn’t even on the team, but it is showing “fairness” that is it is not just a woman’s sport. Sean Gregory of Time states, “In fact, there’s a much easier way for colleges to comply with Title IX without resorting to such absurd mischief. The adults who run college sports need to show some common sense and recognize a fast-growing, legitimate women’s sport right in front of their eyes” (“One Cure for Title IX Woes: Make Cheerleading a Sport”).

This statement is very true in a sense that, if cheerleading was recognized and had a set of rules to follow with consequences it might make for it to be a safer, more organized sport.

The definition of a sport according to The Women’s Sports Foundation is: It must be a physical activity which involves propelling a mass through space or overcoming the resistance of mass, “Contesting” or competing against/with an opponent is required,  It must be governed by rules that explicitly define the time, space, and purpose of the contest and the conditions under which a winner is declared, and Acknowledgement that the primary purpose of the competition is a comparison of the relative skills of the participants. Cheerleading fits all of these rules except the last qualification that states, the primary reason is competition verses other teams or individuals within a competition structure comparable to other ‘athletic’ activities. Cheerleading’s primary purpose is to cheer on other sports teams and provide school unity, and competition comes second (Lauchaire, Varsity). All-star cheerleading however, is the only branch that is a sport because there is no cheering on of other sports, strictly competition teams.

Since the first organized team in 1898, teams all over the country have come a long way in appearance, difficulty, and being primarily female dominated opposed to all male teams (Wikipedia, History). Cheerleading is no longer known just as cheering on football and sports teams, but as a dangerous and rigorous sport. Because cheerleading was created and still has the reputation of its primary purpose being to unite people on a particular sport, it cannot be identified and recognized as a sport such as soccer or baseball. It is an ongoing argument and organizations are working towards changing the qualifications and having exceptions for different types of cheerleading in order to receive the respect and recognition cheerleaders deserve.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkzFTEZVEek

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

"Cheerleading as a Sport." AACCA.org. The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators, n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2013. <https://www.aacca.org/content.aspx?item=Resources/Test.xml>.

"Cheerleading." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 09 Oct. 2013. Web. 17 Sept. 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheerleading>.

Gregory, Sean. "Sports." Sports One Cure for Title IX Woes Make Cheerleading a Sport Comments. Time Sports, 29 Apr. 2011. Web. 24 Sept. 2013.

"History of Title IX." TitleIX.info. Northridge Interactions, n.d. Web. 17 Sept. 2013. <http://www.titleix.info/History/History-Overview.aspx>.

Lauchaire, Nicole. "Being a Cheerleader - Is Cheerleading a Sport?" Varsity.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Sept. 2013. <http://www.varsity.com/event/1262/being-a-cheerleader-sport>.

Pennington, Bill. "As Cheerleaders Soar Higher, So Do the Risks." The New York Times. The New York Times, 31 Mar. 2007. Web. 17 Sept. 2013.