Why aren't cheerleaders eligible for the LCL scholar award?
On Monday, November 22nd, there was an assembly at Licking Valley High School in which the LCL scholar athletes were awarded for their hard work. However, when the names were mentioned over the announcements, not a single cheerleader was called down. Upon coming to this realization, I questioned the school's principal about the incident.
He continued to inform me that the LCL does not recognize cheerleaders as athletes, sponsor, or associate with them. Therefore, cheerleaders cannot receive the LCL scholar athlete award.
According to the OHSAA regulations guide, cheerleading is a recognized sport by the OHSAA or Ohio High School Athletic Association and has the same regulations as other sports. If this is the case, we have reason to question why the Licking County League does not recognize them as such.
Cheerleading takes a lot more work than it seems. Cheerleaders work out and put physical strain on their bodies to do what they do. At football games, when it gets into colder temperatures, if they don’t stretch enough or have enough time to warm up they can pull muscles or damage ligaments in their bodies.
An activity for which a varsity sports letter can be obtained should be considered a sport and recognized as such. If this were to happen, a large majority of cheerleaders would obtain the scholar athlete award because they are athletes who work hard with a busy schedule while earning good grades and strive to be the best they can be.
Athletic scholarships for college are also awarded to cheerleaders, and if they are recognized as athletes at the college level, they should be at the high school level as well.
An award where athletes have received good grades should be offered to all types of sporting teams, squads, or clubs. Recognition from OHSAA should be enough to prove that cheerleaders are athletes and deserve the same chances as all other athletes. As a plan of action, the athletic director will first be addressed and action will continue from there. It is my goal to achieve equity for all athletes in what they are eligible for and able to do.
