Competitive cheerleading is a sport; although many believe this is not the case. Introduced to the world in the late 1800s, cheerleading began as a sport for men to cheer on for sporting groups. Comp. Cheerleading is used as a hobby and hobby for people all over the world. Competitive cheerleaders can be anywhere from 2 to 24 years old. Although cheerleading differs from many sports, it is still very similar. Just like you would compete on the field in football, you compete on the mat in cheerleading. “...you go out there and play other teams, not just one team.” Erin Lenze, coach of the Oil City Oilers competitive cheerleading team, announced why comp. cheerleading is a sport. There are many elements to competitive cheerleading, and it takes a lot to become a cheerleader. Author Leah, California, USA, says: "Cheerleading is a rivalry, competition makes you strong. Cheerleading is about reaching out to comfort a sister who is sad, about standing up for yourself in the good times and bad", showing what you need to put in place. in comp....