Dance and Cheerleading as Competitive Sports: Making a Case for OCR Sport Recognition & NCAA Emerging Sport Designation

During the 2001-02 academic year, Idaho State University engaged a nationwide study to investigate the prevalence of dance and cheerleading programs among National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) D-I schools. The goal of the study was to build a case for Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and NCAA sport recognition and designation. The study participants included presidents, athletic directors, senior women administrators, and dance/cheerleading coaches from eligible NCAA D-I colleges/universities (sample size 312 schools). Two hundred and seventeen schools responded (34 presidents, 86 athletic directors, 89 senior women administrators, and 80 dance/cheer coaches). Findings revealed that the overwhelming majority of the schools surveyed currently had and were funding competitive dance/cheerleading teams; believed that they had adequate dance/cheer practice and competition facilities on their campuses; felt there were recruitable dance/cheer athletes in their region; and believed that there was potential local, regional, and national dance/cheer competition, beyond support for other sports. Respondents viewed both dance and cheerleading as being characterized by many to most of the defining elements of sport and were at least somewhat supportive of pursuing NCAA emerging sport designation and OCR sport recognition. (Author/SM)