 "Photo: Courtesy of NCCU athletics")
If you look under Women's Sports on the NCCUEaglePride.com, you will not see "Cheerleading," which will raise the question: Is Cheerleading a sport?
The American Heritage College dictionary defines "sport" as a physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively.
But at N.C. Central University, students seem to have mixed opinions.
"No I don't think cheerleading is a sport because it's not physical, and there is no thinking involved.
At NCCU, the cheerleaders are looked at as glorified dancers," said undecided sophomore, Travis Purcell.
According to Keshante Cavin, marketing sophomore cheerleading is a sport.
"Just like basketball or football you have to try out, have skills, and produce certain requirements to be eligible for the team," said Cavin. "A sport is a competitive activity."
Johnae' Stoutamire, a psychology sophomore and varsity cheerleader, is also among those who defend the notion that cheerleading is a sport.
Stoutamire, who has been cheering for most of her life, worksout in the offseason with running and toning exercises.
"You must be fit and workout, just like any other sport," said Stoutamire.
Cheerleading coach LuAnn Edmonds-Harris, an NCCU alumna, says otherwise.
"We spend just as much time or even more as competitive sports. We utilize the weight room, and watch what we eat.
"We're competitive in a subtle way," she said, adding that she regards her cheerleaders as "student-athletes."
Cheerleaders at UNC-Chapel Hill and N.C. A&T perform stunts whereas NCCU does not.
A stunt is where there are three to four base females or males who throw the flyer up for flips and moves in air. Because NCCU's squad doesn't do stunts, they cannot cheer competitively.
Cheerleading at NCCU and other schools is different.
At NCCU, cheerleaders are not recruited and none are under scholarship.
"I don't believe NCCU and students treat cheerleading as a sport," said Stoutamire.
"Other schools have proper facilities to practice stunts, do toe touches, and tumble. If we had the proper equipment and facilities, I think we would probably do stunts."
Not all schools stunt and not all schools compete competitively though.
Duke does not stunt. Different schools have different styles and requirements.
According to Edmonds-Harris some competitions have a height and weight limit.
"I don't like the height and weight limit. I don't believe in that, I have a uniform limit," she said.
"The young ladies have to wear uniforms and look good in them. They have to fit tone. Our cheerleaders have to work around the schedules of everyone else like the football and basketball players, and the band, so we don't have the proper facilities to do stunts."
Edmonds-Harris said that it's too dangerous to practice stunts in the hallways and that she was more concerned with her student-athletes' safety.
"I'd rather not risk injury so I'm not interested," she said. "My goal is to go to as many schools in the MEAC to let them know this is who we are. WE ARE NCCU'"
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