CALLER 1: I was just calling to make my opinion about Damon
Poeter
’s cheerleading column (published July 2) asking is it a sport
or not. I’m a cheerleader and I just think that you guys comparing
it to a spelling bee or gardening is very wrong and I think that if
you guys are going to write an article like this you guys should
have a lot more support because I
don’t think you guys have been to a cheerleading practice. I
cheer for the ’Baler cheerleaders at San Benito High School in
Hollister and if you guys want to know more, you should come to one
of our practices and see how hard us girls work because it’s
definitely hard and it’s definitely a
sport.
CALLER 1: I was just calling to make my opinion about Damon Poeter’s cheerleading column (published July 2) asking is it a sport or not. I’m a cheerleader and I just think that you guys comparing it to a spelling bee or gardening is very wrong and I think that if you guys are going to write an article like this you guys should have a lot more support because I don’t think you guys have been to a cheerleading practice. I cheer for the ’Baler cheerleaders at San Benito High School in Hollister and if you guys want to know more, you should come to one of our practices and see how hard us girls work because it’s definitely hard and it’s definitely a sport.

GREEN PHONE: Caller 1, you’re not alone in slamming Damon’s column. Read on …

CALLER 2: I’m calling about your response about cheerleading not being a sport. Cheerleading is definitely more of a sport than arm wrestling. Cheerleading puts in just as much hours as many of the other sports. So yes, it is a sport.

GREEN PHONE: Thanks for your input, Caller 2.

CALLER 3: I’m calling to complain because cheerleading is a sport.

GREEN PHONE: Callers, Damon informs us he will be responding to your complaints in a future column. For what it’s worth, Green Phone doesn’t think his argument against cheerleading being a sport was meant to be taken quite so seriously … but let’s wait and find out what he has to say in his defense.

CALLER 4: I’m just calling to add my two cents about Damon Poeter’s cheerleading column. I think I read in last week’s Green Phone that he’s going to respond in the newspaper and I think the only decent response at this time would be an apology to the cheerleaders. To make blatant fun of them the way he did was uncalled for. Also, he has no idea how hard those girls work, with hours of practice in the direct sunshine and hours of conditioning and getting the timing down. I just think he had no information at all when he printed this article. P.S. There are special shoes required of cheerleaders. I ought to know. I’ve paid for a new pair every year for the past three years. So like I said, the only acceptable thing he could say in his column tomorrow is an apology.

GREEN PHONE: Looks like the cheerleading calls keep rolling in. Just for the record, cheerleading did earn points for being a sport under the “Special Shoes Rule.” It just wasn’t enough overall. Anyway, on to the next cheerleading call …

CALLER 5: My beef: I was really disappointed with the article on cheerleading not being a sport. Obviously, the author of this piece has never worked out with the Live Oak cheerleaders who combine athletics, dance and precision to provide halftime entertainment, encouragement to the team and are indeed, a sports team which does compete when necessary, if that is the definition of sports. Perhaps the author, Damon Poeter, might like to join Live Oak cheer at one of their practice sessions to just see how much of a sports team they truly are. I challenge him to attend the next cheerleading practice.

GREEN PHONE: Personally, the Green Phone would love to see Damon at a cheerleading practice. We think he would look good in a skirt.

CALLER 6: I’m calling in response to whether or not cheerleading is a sport. I think when cheerleading is competitive, it should be considered a sport because after all, you are competing against other teams. But regular cheerleading throughout the season should just be considered what it is, an activity. So that’s my opinion on the whole thing and I hope others agree. It’s a small thing to decide because if you’re cheerleading for your team that’s competing against a team, that’s totally different than when you’re a competitive cheer squad competing against another competitive cheer squad.

GREEN PHONE: Caller, it’s good to see what other people’s “rules” entail. Thanks for presenting your opinion.

CALLER 7: I found your five simple rules that determine what is and isn’t a sport absolutely ridiculous, especially Rule No. 4 (the “Jurisprudence Rule”). Nonetheless, as a former cheerleader I see cheerleading as an activity, not a sport … but, demeaning this activity to the extreme as you did was absolutely unnecessary. You must not deny the participants the recognition they deserve for the athleticism they possess. I have never seen the Gilroy cheerleaders in action, but if they perform the intense gymnastic routines all the best squads do, then they get to fall under a portion of the umbrella the sport of gymnastics provides. Cheerleading may not qualify as a sport, but it sure can be one hell of an athletic activity. Let’s see your sport athletes survive a competition cheerleading practice!

GREEN PHONE: Caller, we certainly agree that the hard work and athleticism of cheer squads is more important to recognize than whatever label we fix to what they do.

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A staff member wrote, edited or posted this article, which may include information provided by one or more third parties.

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