Cheerleaders and dancers show up for every team — football, basketball, and beyond — bringing energy, spirit, and school pride. Yet despite training and performing at the level of collegiate athletes, cheer and dance are still not recognized by the NCAA as official sports.   
Because of this, athletes face:   
•No consistent athletic scholarships
•No consistent access to athletic trainers
•No Title IX protections     
Athletes are held to the same expectations as every other program — often pushing through serious injuries, like I did after ACL and meniscus surgery. Yet they are dismissed as “just entertainment.”   
Meanwhile, the corporation Varsity Spirit (who runs nearly all Cheer and Dance competitions) have used their power to block recognition. In California and Texas, Varsity lobbied against legislation that would have classified cheer as a sport and provided greater safety oversight. Their priority has been protecting profits from camps, uniforms, and competitions — not protecting athletes. Recent antitrust lawsuits have further revealed how Varsity’s monopolistic practices limit athlete choice and drive up costs for families.   
This is exactly why NCAA recognition is urgent: cheer and dance athletes deserve the support, protections, and respect that every other college athlete receives. Recognition would mean scholarships, medical coverage, and Title IX protections — not just for one program, but nationwide.   
I made the Division I cheer team I had always dreamed of, and still had to step away because the current system is built to fail cheer and dance athletes. This issue is national, and it’s time for the NCAA to act.   
Cheer and dance are college sports. It’s time they are recognized as such. Sign and share to demand this change.