Robertson county school board currently allows homeschooled children to try out for all sports, except cheerleading, because the school board considers cheerleading an "activity" and not a sport, even though on the school board website(rcstn.net), it lists cheerleading as a sport. If the school board is going to allow homeschooled children to tryout for football, basketball, volleyball, etc. shouldn't those children interested in cheerleading have the same opportunity to try out for cheerleading? We sure think so. The word “sport” is defined as “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against one another or others for entertainment” (Oxford Languages Dictionary). Cheerleading certainly requires exertion and skill, and teams compete against one another at various levels. Multiple other surrounding counties allow homeschooled children to try out for cheerleading in middle and high school. We have contacted several people at TSSAA about this issue and were told it's up to the local school board to decide.That's where we need your help! 

I have had the pleasure of overseeing our local little league/junior cheer program where cheerleaders ages 5 to 12 learn the fundamentals of team work and cheerleading. One family in particular involved in the program has 2 cheerleaders that are homeschooled. The oldest daughter came to the program quiet and shy and struggled at first. But she worked very hard during the season to improve her skills, and her hard work and determination paid off. She was awarded "Most Improved" cheerleader at the end of season. When cheerleaders that age out of the junior program want to continue cheering, they usually move on to tryout for middle school. With tears in her eyes, this particular cheerleader told the coaches that her family found out she wasn't allowed to tryout for the middle school cheer squad because the school board doesn't allow homeschooled children to tryout for cheer. This broke my heart. Whether you agree with homeschooling or not is not the issue at hand. 

The family, myself, and others, have sent multiple emails to the local school board director, the county athletic director, and other local board members, requesting further information and asking to be placed on the board's monthly agenda and have been unsuccessful. We aren’t asking the board to re-write a bunch of policies. We are simply asking that homeschooled children be allowed the same equal opportunity to tryout for cheerleading as they allow them to tryout for all other sports. We are hoping to have at least 1,000 signatures by the next board meeting on Nov. 14.

Please help us get this changed by signing this petition asking for Robertson County school board to consider cheerleading a sport instead of an activity, so that homeschooled children have the same equal opportunity to try out for cheer like they are for all other sports within the school system.