Dear Mr. Hoganson,

I have a bone to pick with you in regards to an article in the past issue of The Call titled “The Great Debate: What is Considered a Sport?” You claimed that a sport requires, “something in which two individuals or teams compete in a contest of skill, involving a ball, physical exertion and a final score.”

You also claimed that swimming, cross country and poms are not sports. How can something not be a sport when it is one of the most famous events in the Olym- pics? You also contradict yourself in the article because swimming seems to fit in with your defini- tion of a sport. There are teams and individuals that compete, it requires much physical exertion and it has a simple point system with a final score. There are winners and losers, coaches and teammates, and exhausting prac- tices just like the “real sport” of football (even though that’s not even an international sport).

If sports need to involve a ball, then is the very first sport invented, wrestling, no longer one? And, you claim that hockey is a real sport, but it uses a puck, not a ball, therefore, another contradiction.

Cheerleading is a controversial activity because there is a huge difference between inexperienced school cheer- leaders and intense national cheer teams.

If swimming is not a sport, then why do I need to get a winter sport practice card in order to participate? I guess since swimming isn’t a sport anymore, none of us are real athletes.

Pommies aren’t just sparkly dancers either. One must be flexible, strong, have impeccable cardiovascular strength, have a good memory for all those steps, and keep a smile on their face for the entire routine.

Before you judge whether an activity is a sport or not, put your biases aside and try to do one of our practices. You would change your mind after you run uphill for two miles in 90 degrees, swim a 1,000 meter strength set or do the splits in front of KHS.

Sincerely,

Agitated Athlete

Lucy Waldemer, sophomore