Stephanie Peng

Staff Writer

The age-old question comes up again: are cheer and song defined as sports?

According to the San Ramon Valley Unified School District, they are not.

Since September 2009, members of song and cheer teams have been unable to earn P.E. credit through Independent Study P.E. (ISPE) because of stricter physical education standards.

Only Interscholastic sports teams listed by the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) are qualified for ISPE.

Because the cheer and song teams are defined as “athletic activities” but not as Interscholastic sports teams, they aren’t qualified for credit.

“It wasn’t a school decision,” said ISPE coordinator Anne Block.  “The same policy applies to all the high schools in the district.”

ISPE is a program that allows students to fulfill P.E. graduation requirements by participating on qualified school sports teams. Students can earn 5 credits per season, up to 10 credits maximum, provided they are not also enrolled in a P.E. class, study hall or as a TA.

The benefits of participating in ISPE include athletes having more control over their classes, transcripts, and college admission processes. Because cheer and song members don’t have that option, senior Megan Hunting had to take an extra P.E. class this year, which she felt limited her schedule.

“I was unable to fit in another AP class that would have looked better to colleges,” said Hunting, a varsity cheerleader.

The school district has reevaluated the program several times, said Block, noting that marching band was the first team to be removed from the ISPE program. Song and cheer were removed after band.

“Being a CIF sport shouldn’t be the basis of whether or not we can receive credit for ISPE,” said Hunting. “We are just as athletic, if not more athletic, than the other CIF sports.”

Song parent Debbie Stinson, whose daughter Shawna is on the team, agrees that there should be a reevaluation of the policy.

“It’s an insult for the district to say that song is not a sport, considering the amount of work the team does,” said Stinson.

Stinson said the song team practices eight to 12 hours a week during the 10-month season, and performs at basketball and football games, as well as many competitions.

She says there are practices where the girls work so hard that they throw up from the physical exertion.

“To be placed third in the nation requires a rigorous schedule and a lot of dedication that equals song to soccer, football, or any other team,” said Stinson, referring to the team’s third place finish at nationals this year.

The talent and precision that song and cheer show at their performances have also gained the support and recognition of other Cal students.

“They are doing physical activity that’s pretty difficult,” junior Kyle Kao said.  “I know for a fact I can’t do back handsprings, backflips, or routines with such accurate timing.”

Senior Katrina Gandt believes cheer and song, whether the district considers them “true” sports or not, definitely require much more time, effort, and heart compared to a typical P.E. elective.

“It’s more challenging than just taking a regular P.E. class because they work so hard not only to stay in shape, but also to excel in what they love,” said Gandt.