If you don't think cheerleading is a sport, think again.
Yesterday marked the start of a long journey for the Quinnipiac University women’s volleyball team and cheer squad that will certainly end up at the doorsteps of the U.S. Supreme Court. A federal court in Connecticut must decide whether or not cheerleading is a sport that can be counted towards meeting the gender-equity requirements under Title IX. This case garnered so much attention that last month it became a class action for all present, prospective, and future female [Quinnipiac] student athletes.
The case arose last year when Quinnipiac decided to disband the women’s volleyball team in favor of a competitive cheerleading squad. Five members of the volleyball team including the coach filed an injunction to prevent this from happening. The judge granted the injunction, not for the present issue at hand, but reasoned that there was evidence that suggested the school improperly manipulated the rosters of other teams to satisfy Title IX. For example, the baseball and lacrosse teams would drop players before reporting to the Department of Education. After the reports were made, they would add the players back on the team. Additionally, the women’s softball team would add players prior to reporting, then immediately drop them. All this was in the name of showing a false sense of gender equality.
Judge Stefan Underhill now has to decide the fate of cheerleading. Title IX has specific criteria regarding what defines a sport. The judge will have to look at the coaches, practices, competitions, and the governing body. Though the NCAA does not recognize cheerleading as a sport, Quinnipiac, along with seven other schools, formed the National Competitive Stunts and Tumbling Association as the governing body.
In the meantime, Quinnipiac, under heavy scrutiny, continues to host a women’s volleyball team and cheer squad. At this point, it would be bad PR for the university to drop either sport regardless of the outcome.
Tough there is no clear answer to the question, the court’s ruling will have a nationwide impact on the future of men’s and women’s collegiate sports.
