Is Cheerleading A Sport?

 A Judge in Connecticut ruled that Cheerleading is not considered a sport. This came about because Quinnipiac University in Hadem,Connecticut pulled funding from the Volleyball team to support a competitive cheerleading squad team. The school says they made the changes according to budgeting.It cost $70,000 for the volleyball team with only 11 players and cheerleading cost $50,000 for 40 players. The volleyball team was upset with their decsion so the team sued the school claiming that redirecting money intended for women's sports teams to a cheerleading squad violating Title IX.The 1972 federal mandates equal opportunities for men and women in education and athletics.U.S Judge Stefan Underhill ruled that the school broke the law when they pulled the money for the cheerleading. Judge Underhill wrote this in his ruling:             
                            "I conclude as a matter of law that Quinnipiac University
                               discriminated on the basis of sex during the 2009-10
                              academic years by failing to provide equal athletic
                                     participation opportunities for women,"

He ruled that cheerleading is not an actual sport. Underhill said hat it is too under developed and too disorganized to be treated as genuine varsity athletic participation.This makes complete sense but at he same time I totally disagree with this judgment because they are similar to gymnast and to me they work out like other athletes. They train together, practice and not only that,they also go to competitions and compete with other teams, similar to other sports. Cheerleading has been around for many years so idon't see why it hasn't been established as an actual sport yet. Now Quinnipiac has 60 days to come up with a plan to keep volleyball through next season and comply with gender rules.



Question: Do you agree that Cheerleading should be established as a sport? Why or why not?

http://abcnews.go.com/US/judge-cheerleading-sport-quinnipiac-university-squad-title-ix/story?id=112199