Sports are one of the commendable events in the world. It is worth noting that each sport come with benefits and disadvantages. Cheerleading and football are some of the famous sports in the world. One of the main reasons that are mostly asked concerning cheerleading and football is the degree of its dangers. It is worth noting that cheerleading and footballs pose unique dangers to those who participate. However, which of the two sports is dangerous has remained one of the debatable issues in the field of sports. A comparison and contrast of the two sport can be analyzed based on gender. Football is one of the favorite sport that is played by most men, while cheerleading is mostly played by men. These imply that men suffer most catastrophic injuries in football. On the other hand, cheerleading is very dangerous to women. In the general perspective, cheerleading is more dangerous than football.
Statistically, cheerleading is ranked the second dangerous sport. Cheerleading causes a lot of catastrophic injuries compared to football. Cheerleading entails gymnastics, participant’s flying in the air, and human pyramid building. Based on the activities that are carried out, cheerleaders are more prone to injury compared to footballers (Adams 24). One of the main reason cheerleading id more dangerous is the fact that there are no protective equipment’s. In most cases, footballers put on protective equipment and shoes. Footballers are mostly tackled, and the fact that they have protective equipment means the impact will be minimized. Some of the crucial protective equipment used include pads and helmets.
Cheerleaders fly in the air and falling from the pyramid building mean that the force of the collision will be too strong. When a footballer is tackled, they mostly land on the ground with minimal force, but for cheerleaders landing on the ground from the top of human pyramid building is most dangerous and life taking (Connolly 45). In most cases, the cheerleaders are encouraged to be very competitive; therefore, this drives them to try things that are very dangerous. On the same note, cheerleaders are asked to perform more events in various surfaces, which include gravel and cement. It is the diversity of performing grounds that increase the dangerous of cheerleading.
In addition, the coaching styles of football and cheerleading are different. Football coaches are professional who have learned the art of coaching through research and institutions. Coaches of cheerleading have very little training on issues of safety, they only depend on the experience (Adams 56). In fact, cheerleaders who attempt the most dangerous performance are coached and guided by other cheerleaders. The essence of coaching also make cheerleading most dangerous compared to football.
The comparison between how dangerous cheerleading and football are depends on the word danger. Cheerleading is more dangerous than football; this is mostly taken to imply a degree of taking risk. Studies show that cheerleading mostly causes the catastrophic injuries in schools. In this case, catastrophic injuries include spinal trauma and brain damage, which may lead to death. According to National Centre for Catastrophic Sports, cheerleading is the most dangerous sport among women, than all other women sports combined (Connolly 67). These are a clear picture of how cheerleading is more dangerous than football.
The degree of catastrophic injuries associated with cheerleading is extreme, compared to those on the football. In most cases, something must go wrong during cheerleading, and in case of an accident the injury is most severe. Most of the injuries in football can easily be treated. Many people have died during cheerleading, and those who survive the catastrophic injuries of cheerleading may never walk or talk due to brain injury and spinal injury. In the last three decades, the emergency hospitals have recorded many catastrophic injuries caused by cheerleading (Singer 17). The statistics are disturbing, and for many states cheerleading is not recognized as a sport; hence, there is safety equipment’s and proper training methods. These mean that the catastrophic injuries will continue being a major problem.
On the other hand, football is also dangerous for men. These are based on the fact that football leads the back with injuries. Despite the use of protective equipment’s such as helmet and pads, the collision factor during football puts participants into higher risk for catastrophic injuries and non-life threatening injuries (Gifford 23). Compared to cheerleading, collision and physical contact in football is inevitable. In most cases, an individual is tackled by multiple players at the same time, which exposes them to extreme risks.
In the general perspective, cheerleading is more dangerous than football. The conclusion is based on the activities carried out in the sport and the nature of the sport. Evidently, most of the injuries in football are non-life threatening. In addition, cheerleading does not recognize the importance of safety and proper training of participants. Proper training of cheerleading coaches will prevent injuries. The coaches should undergo rigorous training and work under safety rules. The cheerleaders should be taught how to perform and practice safety.
Works cited
Adams, Natalie G, and Pamela Bettis. Cheerleader!: An American Icon. New York: Palgrave, 2003. Print.
Connolly, Paul. The World's Weirdest Sports: Bog Snorkelling, Dwile Flonking, Goat Grabbing and More. Sydney: Murdoch Books, 2011. Print.
Gifford, Clive. Tell Me Aboutamerican Football. London: Evans, 2009. Print.
Singer, Lynn. Cheerleading. New York: Rosen Central, 2007. Print.
