Do you think cheering is a sport? Most people would answer no. Many people think you just learn a few chants and cheer at basketball games, but they don’t realize how hard cheering really is. I was part of the basketball/competition cheering team at Philip W. Sugg Middle School this year. I realized it is just as challenging as any other sport. Our squad practiced three hours a day five days a week from November 2007 through February 2008. We also practiced during Christmas and February vacations. We used this practice time to prepare for three competitions. During practice we would stretch, then learn and practice a routine that consisted of jumps, a cheer, dances, stunting and tumbling. Cheering is also very much a team sport because if one person quits, or doesn’t show up to practice, then the routine might need to be reworked, or the squad may not be able to practice at all.

In recent history, guys have been cheering for Lisbon as well. There were two guys on the Lisbon High School Team this year. One male student at P.W.S. Middle School, Cody Donovan, wanted to try out and attended a few practices, but found out it was too late to be part of the team. He is a football player and he definitely thought of cheering as a sport. I had the opportunity to interview Cody and here is what I found out. I asked him why he wanted to cheer and he said “because he thought it sounded like fun.” Another question I asked him was if it bothered him if some kids might make fun of him for cheering and he said “I don’t care what other people think”. Lastly, I asked him if he will try out next year and he said “yes.”

As it turns out all of the hard work the PWS Cheerleaders did paid off because we came in first place at the Scarborough Cheering Invitational on Saturday, February 16. This event was also our last competition of the year. Congratulations to the PWS Cheerleaders and proving Cheering is indeed a sport!