Quote Originally Posted by ']['ear View Post
Let me re-phrase. Just because some people get together and are active together does not mean it should become a varsity sport. My main point is that there are tons of such activities, "cheer" is just another one of them that is not particularly widespread or have a whole lot of history behind it. Why should they go to the front of the line?

I entirely respect the drive and ability involved. Just don't ask for special treatment and lots of recognition for a small niche sport. That is disenfranchising sports with long, storied histories and international competitions. Really, you're going to displace women's volleyball for cheer?

Which is beside the point. The case here is that the university was clearly committing fraud and trying to game the system. Cheer just happened to be the tool of manipulation. It could have easily been the club sport (ultimate) vs. the varsity sport (soccer) that I played.
I have to question that. After all, George W. Bush made his reputation at Yale on the cheerleading team, not in the classroom. There is a history there, it's only recently that there has been an incentive to organize and fund cheerleading teams on the level that we're beginning to see.

I understand that there is an element of manipulation going on here to cut budgets and satisfy these gender requirements, but it doesn't mean the whole concept of organized cheerleading as a sport is crap.