Center stage is the question whether universities can consider cheerleading a sport, thereby working under the Title IX cvil rights law that protects gender equality. Connecticut [COLOR=#0000ff]Quinnipiac University[/COLOR] has cut the women's volleyball program in favor of the cheerleading squad, leading to a lawsuit by 5 members of the women's volleyball team and their coach: [QUOTE] The players argue that cheerleading does not meet federally defined standards for a "sport" under [COLOR=#336699]Title IX[/COLOR], the groundbreaking civil rights law that requires schools to allocate resources equally to men's and women's sports teams. The judge will also determine whether the university doctored its team rosters, undercounting men and overcounting women, in an effort to skirt Title IX requirements. "The outcome of this case could have a chilling effect on women's athletics programs if cheerleading is deemed a sport," said Mary Jo Kane, director of the Tucker Center for Girls and Women in Sports at the University of Minnesota and a Title IX expert unaffiliated with the case. "No one wants to denigrate cheerleading, but should it be considered sport at the expense of legitimate women's competitive team sports? It's a question of equality," Kane said. "How would people react if the school cut a men's sport like baseball or lacrosse and used those funds for a male cheerleading squad?" The women volleyball players say a men's team would never lose funding in favor of cheerleading and the players are the subjects of sex discrimination. [/QUOTE] Arguments on roster manipulation by the school: [QUOTE] The volleyball players say the university has a pattern of discriminating against women athletes and manipulating rosters to appear to be in compliance with Title IX. The school, they claim in the suit, overcounts its female runners. Women who run track, they claim, are counted on the rosters for indoor track, outdoor track and cross country, even though all those sports are essentially one team. In order to make it look as if it had eliminated men's teams to balance the total number of opportunities available, the school eliminated men's outdoor and indoor track, but kept the same number of male runners, competing for a single track team. [/QUOTE] Is cheerleading a sport? Those involved in the sport of cheerleading - the competitive cheerleading with the flips and throws and not just the ra - ra - hoora cheering of girls on the sidelines of (typically men's) sports - have been arguing for years that it is a sport. One of the important reasons to recognize competitive cheerleading as the sport it is, is to have safety regulations in place. Related: http://www.gymchat.com/messageboards/gymnastics-tv/110301-cheerleading-dangers-risks-abcs-nightline.html?highlight=cheerleading A step in the right direction, competitive cheer regulation by non-profit organizations: [QUOTE] Additionally, the university and seven other schools recently formed a governing body, the National Competitive Stunts and Tumbling Association, to govern and develop competitive cheer as a sport. Competitive cheerleading championships previously were decided by two organizations — the National Cheerleaders Association and the Universal Cheerleading Association. Both are tied to Varsity Brands Inc., a for-profit company that makes cheerleading apparel and runs camps. [/QUOTE] The court will hear the arguments and rule on whether competitive cheer is a sport - that is, if it should be cosidered to be a sport under the Title IX regulations that require equal resources for men's & women's sports teams, as the school argues: [QUOTE] The school says cheerleading is a competitive, athletic activity that creates more opportunities for women than volleyball. It says it has adequately complied with the law. "The university believes that it has complied with all aspects of Title IX legislation and will continue to do so. Given that this is a matter awaiting adjudication, we will not comment further," said Lynn Bushnell, vice president for public affairs, in a statement. [/QUOTE] [QUOTE] In order to be considered a sport under Title IX, an activity must meet certain criteria, said Neena Chaudhry, senior council at the National Women's Law Center. "The Department of Education has issued letters in the past on how sports are defined. Do they prepare for competition in the way other teams do? Do they have coaches? Do they recruit? What's the length of their season and the number of practices? Is there a national governing body? The bottom line is whether their primary purpose is completion, or just to support from the sidelines," Chaudhry said. The school argues that cheerleading has changed significantly since Title IX was passed in 1972. The cheers have become significantly more athletic, incorporating throws, tumbles and flips. It has also became more competitive, with squads competing against each other rather than just rooting for teams from the sidelines. During last year's hearing, school cheer coach Mary Ann Powers defended competitive cheer as a legitimate sport, saying her team is made of athletes, most of them elite gymnasts. [/QUOTE] Limited budget, the numbers game: Another argument by the school is that more students are involved in competitive cheer at a lower cost vs. the women's volleyball team: [QUOTE] School officials testified in last year's hearing that the benefit of a competitive cheer team is more athletic opportunities for women at lower cost. Quinnipiac's cheerleading team cost the school about $1,250 per roster spot, the school testified last year. The team currently has 30 members. The volleyball team cost more than $6,300 per team member with 11 players in 2008-09 and a budget of more than $70,000, according to the testimony. [/QUOTE] In the midst of college gymnastics programs, especially the men's programs, getting cut or on the verge of getting cut (just recently UC Berkeley men's gymnastics team, but safe for another year), looks like one victory for competitive cheer. [COLOR=#810081]Connecticut Trial to Determine If Cheerleading is a Sport - ABC News[/COLOR] - click there to watch video of the news story