The answer to this question will make a difference.  Even though some may still wear short skirts and wave pom poms when the home team scores a touchdown, the athletic side of cheerleading has grown complex enough that doctors are calling for it to be considered a sport.  But why?   Well emergency room visits for cheerleading injuries have risen by 400 percent in the past 30 years.  Cheerleading accounts for more than half of all serious injuries in high school girls athletics.  The American Academy of Pediatricians says if cheerleading were to be considered a sport, it would cut down on those injuries.   Then, there would be regulations that force better training and higher safety standards.

The participants would have to achieve certain skill levels in order to participate in certain stunts as well.   As much as most of us dislike increased regulations, maybe it's time to protect those talented cheerleaders from unnecessary harm.

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