The father’s response inspired the title of this post.  Despite the fact the girl had some obvious bruising from her chosen activity, her father seemed unmoved that cheerleading was a sport. (Having spent much of my teenage years admiring all the parts of cheerleaders, I am sure these were cheering related bruises.)  After some time to think about it and nearly chewing out her father and giving him the motto of all cheerleaders, “We work just as hard, are twice as active, and receive far more bruises, plus do it with a smile on our faces,” I decided his comment had some validity.

Not only was the comment valid, it was dead on.  Let me discuss this in three parts.  I’ll finalize with a list of other activities that are also not sports.

Sports have rules, that determine scoring in a hard and fast manner.    The rules are not open to interpretation even if there is a certain amount of human interpretation in most sports as to whether the standards were met for scoring.  Basketball for example you make between one and three points  anytime the ball goes through the hoop.  The amount of points depends on other firm rules.  This is not  true of either sideline or competitive cheering.  Sure there are rules in competitive cheering, but they are completely subjective and as often as not reflect a judges personal biases. 

Sports involve direct competition between the participants.  Whether there are two teams on the field, multiple runners on the track, two people on the court, or one person at a time chucking the same object down the pitch, this is direct competition.  Cheerleading competitions have each team perform their routine and they get subjectively scored.  Based on scores each team is ranked and either advances or doesn’t.  While competition is involved, it is squad versus the judges and the judges against each other, rather than squad v. squad.  In this respect, competitive cheering is no more a sport than American Idol.

Lastly a sport must be a physical activity.  Cheerleading is most certainly a physical activity, but that is not enough to make it a sport.  Several so called sports fail in this category though.  Golf for instance is not a sport.  There is a bit of physical exertion if the participants must carry their their own clubs, but if you consider that enough to make it a sport I participate in a sport in my thrice weekly shopping trips.  Unfortunately no one pays me big money to show off their brand name while I resist the urge to run over novices, gawkers, or old people chatting it up like they didn’t just come from Bob Evans or the Cracker Barrel.

In summation by only meeting the physical activity requirement cheerleading simply isn’t a sport.  By these rules we can also remove gymnastics, ice skating, chess, fishing, debate, poker, music, drama, & drill team competitions, dancing, or rock-paper-scissors from the realm of sports.  I know there are those who are asking yourself why any of this matters when we have so many other important issues we could be discussing, and the answer is plain and simple.  Where should our schools districts be spending money for extra-curricular activities and the ever looming questions concerning Title IX.

Discuss…

High School Sports: BE’s James a player with a cause

By ALEX PELLEGRINO
Special to The Post and Courier
Friday, October 17, 2008

Mary Crawford James is a junior middle hitter on the Bishops volleyball team and a forward/center in basketball.

Provided

Mary Crawford James is a junior middle hitter on the Bishops volleyball team and a forward/center in basketball.

Donny James clearly remembers his daughter’s initial reaction to the chilling news: His sister had lost her battle with breast cancer.

“I want to be the person who finds a cure for that,” Mary Crawford James said to her father back when she was in middle school.

James, now a junior volleyball/basketball player and honor roll student for Bishop England, already had a perfect idea of how to help. Instead of collecting candy at Halloween, she’d round up donations for the American Cancer Society just as she had done the previous Halloween for a church-related charity. The original idea came on a whim, and though she no longer dresses in costume, James’ tradition continues in memory of her aunt, Kathy James Miller, and several others.

Most recently, a rare form of tissue cancer claimed the life of her childhood friend and basketball teammate while breast cancer took a former middle school teacher.

One of James’ neighbors is a breast cancer survivor, and a family friend is currently battling the disease.

“Cancer has been a big part of my life,” said James, who has also donated 12 inches of her hair to Locks of Love, which makes wigs for cancer patients. “I wanted to do something different and help people.”

Before heading out on Halloween night, James distributes flyers to her neighbors with the details of her story and efforts. She makes sure they know she’s grateful for every contribution, whether it’s a penny or a $20 bill.

“She just gives so much,” her father said. “She brings chill bumps to me. She’s always been so articulate.”

Her neighbors’ responses have been overwhelmingly positive. So far she’s raised more than $2,000 for cancer research. Last year she collected a record $800.

“I hear a lot of stories,” said James, the Berkley Co-Op October Student of the Month. “People thank me for what I’m doing and tell their stories. So many people have been affected in so many ways.”

After James departs for college, she hopes her younger sister will keep the tradition alive.

“She’s a really hard-working girl,” Bishop England athletic director and girls basketball coach Paul Runey said. “Mary Crawford always cares about other people and always wears a smile.

“She seems to be there whenever someone needs her, but she’s also a true competitor. She’s that all-American kid who comes from a great family.”

OCALA — Regardless of what anybody says, this one has been circled for a while.
DOUG ENGLE/STAR-BANNER

When 5A No. 4 Daytona Beach Mainland rolls into Ocala tonight to face second-ranked 2B Trinity Catholic, the state will be watching.

The Bucs are clearly one of the top 10 teams in Florida — grabbing the No. 10 slot in the current Beef’O’Bradys non-classification poll — and the Celtics would like to make a similar claim after tonight’s showdown.

First-year head coach John Brantley remembers when the Celtics could work on fine-tuning pass protection or polishing up a defensive scheme with non-district dates against the likes of Baldwin and St. John. Those days are now officially over as powerhouses like Tampa Catholic, North Florida Christian, and now 5A Mainland, occupy the Celtics between district games.

“That’s what happens when you make a two-year run and you win 27 games in a row — it’s hard to get teams of a similar talent pool to play you,” said Brantley, citing the Celtics’ run from 2005-06. “So we’ve had to bump it up this year. Our kids have been up to the challenge every week, and it will be interesting to see if they’re up to it this week.”

The Celtics will have to slow down a Mainland team that has had its way with the opposition, including a 28-14 win at Nease. In all, the Bucs have outscored opponents 198-41, dominating traditional powers with a healthy dose of team speed Brantley says he’s rarely seen.

The Celtic staff has tried to prepare quarterback Rob Henry for an intense Bucs pass rush, led by undersized rush end Antwone McGuire (5-7, 150), who has seven sacks and 78 tackles on the season. “I’ve enjoyed watching their tapes; just athletes everywhere on the field,” Brantley said. “It’s hard to compete with their speed. Their defense is very quick. Our strategy will revolve around things that are quick — Rob can’t sit in the pocket for 3 and 4 seconds and wait for receivers to break open. We’re going to have to make it happen in a hurry.”

The Bucs offense features a solid stable of running backs, a quarterback who is a run/pass threat and a wide receiver in O.J. Ross who averages 25 yards a catch.

The Trinity defense, which has been solid except for the 42 points allowed in a 21-point victory over Williston, will get its toughest test tonight.

The Bucs, like most high-school teams, are a run-first bunch, but Brantley has been impressed with quarterback Greg Ross and expects two or three shots downfield to keep the Celtic defense honest.

“They’re a complete football team,” Brantley said. “The bottom line for us is, we don’t see their speed on a regular basis. We’ll see spots of it here and there, but when you look across the board — [Mainland] has speed all the way across.”

With all the excitement surrounding the game, it will ultimately have no bearing on postseason aspirations.

But it could represent the best way for the Celtics to figure out how they stack up against the state’s elite programs.

“I look at it as another big game for Trinity,” Brantley said. “We get everybody’s best shots, and I know [Mainland’s] been talking about it. They felt like they should have beaten Trinity a lot worse last year than the 14-6 final.

“It’s a real challenge for our program. We’re looking forward to it. We’ve known it was going to be probably our biggest game of the year, aside from hopefully playing in the playoffs. There’s definitely a motivation there to meet the challenge.”

Adding to the festivities, the Celtics will retire the No. 12 jersey worn by record-setting quarterback John Brantley IV, who owns the state record for touchdown passes with 99. Brantley, now a back-up quarterback at Florida, will attend the ceremony.

Kickoff for the Mainland-Trinity game is set for 7:30 p.m.

Post 24 of 100 of Brad’s Tiny World Scribefire Challenge.

Yamnicky, Sara surprise at State Open- The New Haven Register – Serving Greater New Haven, CT

Yamnicky, Sara surprise at State Open

Bunnell’s Lauren Sara was the area’s surprise top finisher as she finished fourth at the State Open Cross Country Championships Friday at Wickham Park in Manchester. (Peter Hvizdak/Register)
Saturday, November 1, 2008 6:21 AM EDT

By Chris Hunn, Register Staff

MANCHESTER — A top 25 finish was a realistic goal. Squeezing into the top 10 was a possibility.

But when Bunnell junior Lauren Sara was the fourth girl to cross the finish line at the State Open Cross Country championships at Wickham Park Friday, it may have left some scratching their heads, including her coach, Dave Johnson.

“It’s a big surprise,” Johnson said. “When she came out of the woods at four, I was very pleased, but stunned.”

Sara was, too. Her time of 19 minutes, 5 seconds was 20 seconds better than her time a week earlier when she finished second in the Class L championships over a 3.1-mile course.

“I wasn’t expecting this,” said Sara, who finished 54th at the State Open last year.

Immaculate’s Moira Kenny won the girls’ race in 18:45. Glastonbury easily won the team championship, beating out Guilford 38-94.

On the boys’ side, the top area finisher may have been just as surprising. Shelton senior Robert Yamnicky (16:22) came in fourth. Battling knee tendinitis for most of the season, Yamnicky was the Gaels’ No. 2 runner behind Southern Connecticut Conference champion Richard Stoliker, who placed sixth (16:25).

That duo led Shelton to a second-place finish with 116 points. Danbury won the boys’ title with 86 points. Danbury’s Tucker Schaefer won the individual title with a time of 16:01.

The Gaels were the first of five SCC teams to place among the top seven. Shelton earned its second straight berth in the New England championships,

which will take place next Saturday at Derryfield Park in Manchester, N.H.

The top six teams and top 25 individual finishers from the State Open move on to the regional meet. Amity, Hand and Xavier will also represent the SCC on Nov. 8.

“Running in the SCC kind of prepared us for this,” said Hand coach Tim Geary, whose Tigers earned the school’s first berth in the regional meet. “The whole season was very competitive. We push each other.”

Yamnicky said it was a strong push at the beginning and a kick at the end which led him to a fourth-place mark. Along with the Shelton senior, Cheshire sophomore Sean Mueller earned a spot in the regional meet, placing eighth and leading the Rams to a seventh-place finish.

Ryan Laemel came in ninth, Adam Trofa finished 16th, and Michael Bhatt placed 24th to land the Spartans a third-place finish.

“We wanted to come out and run the race of our lives, but it didn’t work out as we planned,” Laemel said. “Coming in third is a disappointment, especially after beating Shelton all year.”

Dan Nestor came in 17th to lead Hand. His brother, Sean, finished 42nd, and after missing five weeks with an injury, junior David Cotton stepped into the third spot and came in 66th. Ryan McGuire of Notre Dame-West Haven rounded out the boys’ top area finishers as the Wickham Invitational champion placed 22nd.

In the girls’ race, the Spartans will be the only team joining the Indians from the SCC in New Hampshire.

Annelies Gamble finished 19th to lead the Spartans.

“The keys were our front three running together,” said Amity coach Chris Dickerson of Gamble, Jane Depgen and Paige Pallotto. “Then, our fourth (Noa Kupfer) and fifth (Kara Doolan) girl ran very strong. No one had a bad day. They were really focused on getting to New Englands.”

Hand’s Sarah Cotton continued to put the finishing touches on a stellar freshman campaign, coming in 12th (19:32). Cheshire’s Irene Kalbian finished 14th, and Kathleen Elliott placed 21st to lead the Indians and round out the area finishers in the top 25.

While Cotton, Kalbian and Elliott looked to be the among the favorites from the area, it turned out to be Sara’s day. She doesn’t appear to carry the speed or prototypical build of a cross country runner, but that didn’t matter Friday.

She got out, set her pace and didn’t let up, Johnson said.

“She’s like a machine,” Johnson said. “Off the course, she’s one of the goofiest, funniest, nicest kids you’ll meet. But when that gun goes off, she’s absolutely relentless.”

Chris Hunn can be reached at chunn@nhregister.com.

Larcher de Brito

While this no doubt says something about the lovely and talented, and did I mention hot Larcher de Brito, I think maybe it says more about Serena Williams. At 26 Serena is certainly not an old player, but she just isn’t playing as hard as she used to. Even as the top rated women’s tennis player, Venus Williams, isn’t doing much better. They struggle where they used to pounce.

I have no doubt that the Williams sisters will still be on top for a few more years, but when a 15 year old qualifier can take them to task, I wonder what the new face of women’s tennis will look like. Unfortunately I know it won’t look like Anna Kournikova. We are going to be hard pressed to see one so hot for some time to come.

Corvallis Gazette Times: High School Sports

CV volleyball sweeps CHS
By Raju Woodward

Gazette-Times Reporter

Motivated by a five-game loss to Corvallis on their homecourt back on Sept. 23, the Crescent Valley high volleyball team returned the favor on Thursday night by sweeping CHS in a Mid-Willamette Conference match at Spartan Gym.

Just how determined were the Raiders (12-4, 10-2)? After getting off to quick starts and finishing strong in the first two games, they battled back from seven-point deficits twice in the third game to earn the win.

Game scores were 25-19, 25-17 and 25-22.

“Most times when we have fallen behind this year, we have stayed to our gameplan and executed and come back and persevered,” CV coach Corey Barton said. “We’ve had a lot comebacks and we did tonight.

“It makes me proud as a coach to know that my team has enough confidence to not let things get them down.”

After CHS (5-7) went up 11-4 in the third game, the Raiders came alive. A pair of kills followed by two aces by Sammi Brandstetter pulled them to within three, 11-8.

The teams went back and forth before the Spartans went on a 5-0 run to take a 19-12 lead.

But once again, CV pulled together and came right back with four straight kills to make it a 19-16 game, three of them coming from Janelle Batista.

After a service error extended the Spartans’ lead 20-16, the Raiders went on a run of their own and finally took a 21-20 lead on Kacie Melton’s ace.

A senior setter, Melton has come up big for CV in recent games and Thursday was no exception.

“It was awesome,” Melton said. “I never thought I would get to come in and serve to get us back into the game.”

Added Barton: “She works so hard in practices and she goes in and played a critical role for us. We saw that against West Albany, we couldn’t defeat them without her doing what she did, and once again tonight, she did it again.”

An out by the Raiders tied the game at 21, but CV went up two on a Batista kill and a CHS error. The Spartans got a kill to make the score 23-22, but that was the closest they would get. Ali Cook had a kill that was followed by a CHS error, giving the Raiders the win.

Batista finished with 15 kills to lead Raiders, with seven of them coming in the first game. Cassie Daneke added eight blocks, while Brandstetter and Hanna Lorenz had six digs apiece for CV. Lorenz also finished with 29 assists.

It was a disappointing finish for the Spartans, who kept battling despite trailing big in the first two games.

In game one, they battled back from a 21-11 deficit and able to pull within four at one point. In the second game, CHS fell behind by nine before making a comeback.

“They definitely didn’t give up,” CHS coach Amy Wright. “I think they got better each game. CV did a good job, though.”

Mallory Hummer had four kills to lead the Spartans, while libero Tamiko Perry had a strong all-around match with 22 digs and eight aces. Perry was the catalyst for CHS during their comeback bids.

Crescent Valley hosts Woodburn and Silverton next week, with the later match deciding the MWC title.

“Every match for us right now is critical for a league championship, which we are going after very seriously,” Barton said.

CHS is at South Albany and hosts Woodburn to finish the MWC season. The Spartans are still in the hunt for a playoff berth.

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HHS ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Megan Cull
Wednesday, October 15, 2008 9:34 PM EDT

Megan Cull leads the HHS girls’ soccer team in scoring this season.

Photo by Elane Coleman (fstop1.com)
Quick Facts: Hillsborough High senior Megan Cull is a two-sport standout at Hillsborough High. Soccer is her primary sport but she is a fine lacrosse player in the spring season. Cull is a team captain for the Lady Raiders and leads them in scoring this fall.

Coach LeeAnn Wyble Says: “She’s one of the best center mids in the area but she gets overlooked. She has vision and she can pass, shoot and defend. She has a lot of weight on her shoulders.”

Favorite Athlete: Jeremy Shockey because he makes things happen.

Favorite Team: New York Giants. My entire family loves them, and I grew up watching them and going to the games, which are a lot of fun.

Favorite Class/Subject: Environmental Science is my favorite course this year because we learn a lot about animals.
*
Favorite Food: Tacos!!

Favorite TV Show: Gossip Girl is my favorite show because while it is unrealistic, it’s nice to go to a fantasy world for an hour.

Favorite Movie: The Goonies, it’s a classic.

Favorite Musical Group: I have a lot of favorites; it’s too hard to pick just one. I like different kinds of music depending on what I’m in the mood for, but if I had to pick I really like Rihanna, Third Eye Blind and Say Anything.

Favorite Book: To Kill a Mockingbird – we read it in school and not a lot of people liked it, but I thought it was amazing.

Best Role Model: My Poppy is my biggest role model. He started off with nothing and worked his way up. Everything he does is for his family and it makes me want to work hard like he did.

Biggest Athletic Moment: Last year’s game vs. Somerville was one of my favorites. It felt really good to score those goals and then eventually win it in the end to give them their first loss.

Mia Hamm or Heather O’Reilly: Mia Hamm, she’s classic.

Offense or Defense: Offense!

Goal or Assist: That’s a tough one, maybe I’m greedy, but goal.

Grass or Turf: Turf – I love giving through balls and they work better on turf.

Image by jolyonh via Flickr

Count me among the not in the least bit shocked, dismayed, or even among those that give a rat’s ass that Sammy sosa is among over a hundred players to test positive for performance enhancing substances.  I have a hard time understanding why anyone gives a shit what professional athletes do to their bodies.  Baseball is no longer the pastural game that bound so much of this country together, it is simply one more mega-corporate conglomerate that cares nothing for America nor your average American.

Professional baseball is an entertainment industry with no more substance or altruism than the movie or music industry.  The players are paid to put on a show that sells tickets, advertising and merchandise. So long as they do that no one should give a damn about what they put in their bodies.  So long as their pay is based on how well they do that job, no one should be surprised that they will put anything and everything they can into their bodies either.  Color me not so shocked Sammy Sosa is among the many other names even non-fans know is among the list of those who tested positive.

It is time to give up on the notion that sports stars are good role models.  They aren’t now and never have been, and the same can be said of all other entertainers.  While I can’t and won’t say no entertainer is a worthy role model, I do say it isn’t their prowess in their chosen occupation that makes them one.  Hitting, Catching or throwing a ball doesn’t mark you as an extraordinary human being anymore than singing, dancing, or delivering quotable movies lines.  If these are the type of people you are encouraging your kids to look up to the  you have obviously failed as a parent and a person.

Take a moment and ask yourself why you care about this subject.

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What Americans do understand about cricket is the love of a game by true fans. All About Cricket is a blog by one of those true fans. Recently he mentions the fate of Pakistani Cricket losing international status.  I won’t pretend to know the nuances of circumstances, what i do know is the political symbolism involved.  I have seen it across the world where countries are in bad shape with weak governments, but the people still take a certain pride in their country because they can compete in an international game.  Pakistan is a country in turmoil right now and without an outlet to bring their people together as a national entity such as sports, we could find ourselves dealing with larger Pakistani problems having nothing to do with sports.

BELFAST — When junior Frances Blank crossed the finish line at number 21 in Saturday’s Eastern Regional Cross-country Class B Championship, she clinched the team title for the Mount Desert Island Trojan girls.

Led by the second place finish of senior Heather Spurling, the Trojans packed five runners into the top 21 and that was enough to give them a two-point 68-70 edge over the John Bapst Crusaders and their third consecutive Eastern Maine Class B championship trophy.

Sophomore Brianne Dunn of the Ellsworth Eagles posted the best girls’ time of the day, regardless of class, as she took an early lead and never looked back to win the Class B individual title in 19:32.31.

Several other Hancock County teams and individual runners also turned in strong performances on Saturday.

Ellsworth senior Ben Chapman was runner-up in the Class B boys’ race, finishing 12 seconds behind champion Sam Seekins of Erskine Academy with a time of 16:51.88.

In the team competition, Caribou took the Class B title with 57 points, followed by Ellsworth with 89 and the MDI Trojans in third with 128.

In Class C, the George Stevens Academy Eagle girls placed a close third in Class C, finishing just four points behind the champion Orono Red Riots with 65 points.

The Ellsworth American – Ellsworth’s Brianne Dunn, MDI Girls Are EM Champs Brianne Dunn of the Ellsworth Eagles takes the lead early in the girls’ Class B race on Saturday at Belfast. Dunn never trailed in winning the individual title.—STAFF PHOTO BY HUGH BOWDEN

As was the case a week earlier at the Penobscot Valley Conference championships, it was the tight pack of the Trojan girls that gave them the winning edge in the Class B competition.

Behind Spurling, who finished in 19:50.79, were sophomore Kailyn Russell, ninth in 20:42.36; junior Mackenzie Curtis, 17th in 21:16.94; senior Kymry Brooks, 19th in 21:26.08; and Blank, 21st in 21:28.38.

Not far behind them were junior Lily Madeira, 27th in 21:43.90, and junior Jessica Swanson, 30th in 21:59.23.

In addition to Dunn’s championship run, Ellsworth’s Eagles, who placed fourth in the 13-team field with 96 points, got strong performances from sophomore Hayley White, who was 10th in 20:45.63, and junior Rosie Vachon, who was 11th in 20:47.95.

Behind them were sophomore Sara Lyons, 40th in 22:26.98; freshman Mallory Nightingale, 42nd in 22:33.29; freshman Lauren Barkhouse, 67th in 23:50.94; and freshman Stephanie Phippen, 83rd in 25:27.46.

For the Bucksport Golden Buck girls, who were 11th with 265 points, senior Liz Beeson led the way, placing 26th in 21:39.41. She was followed by freshman Nelly Winship, 39th in 22:20.48; senior Angie Johnson, 57th in 23:22.65; freshman Avalon Langevin, 76th in 24:45.11; and freshman Katie Bridges, 97th in 29:46.03.

In the Class B boys’ race, finishing behind Chapman for Ellsworth were senior Jeremiah Roper, 11th in 17:32.71; senior Brian Batson, 22nd in 18:16.54; junior Dakota Hellum, 26th in 18:27.91; freshman Stephen Kirby, 32nd in 18:37.72; junior John Carlin, 51st in 19:20.24; and junior Kyle Ouelette, 71st in 20:15.76.

Sophomore Sam Swann led the MDI Trojans, placing 19th in 18:07.44. He was followed by freshman True Muzzy, 20th in 18:12.16; senior Gavin Willow, 25th in 18:25.75; junior Peter Logue, 29th in 18:32.51; senior Paul Burnell, 40th in 18:58.46; sophomore Cameron Klausky, 42nd in 19:01.88; and junior Jeremy McQuinn, 50th in 19:19.67.

In Class C:

Senior Allegra Pellerano led the GSA girls, placing seventh in 22:10.35. She was followed by sophomore Mindy Carter, 18th in 24:09.72; freshman Lakota Bowen, 28th in 24:54.85; sophomore Tierney Hally, 35th in 25:11.13; and freshman Ramsay Williamson, 36th in 25:17.94.

For the GSA boys, who placed sixth with 151 points, senior Nikos Christ finished 11th in 18:26.60. He was followed by sophomore Kalle Bailey, 16th in 18:53.97; sophomore Josh Bowden, 43rd in 21:08.67; sophomore Jacob Reiley, 55th in 21:56.00; and freshman Matthew Ahern, 56th in 22:01.28.

For the Sumner Tigers, who were 14th with 348 points, freshman Taylor Lee was 71st in 22:56.86, freshman John Sandiego was 73rd in 23:19.59, freshman Xavier Tracey was 84th in 25:15.61, junior Chris Light was 87th in 26:20.90 and freshman James Singletary was 91st in 29:24.42.

Boys’ and girls’ teams from Ellsworth, MDI and GSA all qualified for the upcoming state championships on Saturday, Nov. 1, which also will be held at Belfast’s Troy Howard Middle School.

Races are scheduled as follows: Class C boys, 11 a.m.; Class C girls, 11:45 a.m.; Class B boys, 2 p.m.; Class B girls, 2:45 p.m.

The Mount Desert Island Trojan girls show off the Eastern Maine Class B championship trophy — their third in as many years. Kneeling (from left) are Kailyn Russell, Tarryn Rourk, Heather Spurling and Lily Madeira. Standing (from left) are Mackenzie Curtis, Jessica Swanson, Frances Blank, Kymry Brooks, Caitie Smith and Addie Maxwell.—PHOTO COURTESY OF KATE GOUPEE