A Connecticut federal judge's ruling that cheerleading cannot be used to meet gender equality requirements under Title IX might be interpreted as a blow to the Terrapin competitive cheer team's efforts to have the sport recognized by the NCAA.
But coach Jarnell Bonds sees it as a positive.
"The great thing about the ruling is that [the judge] gave a checklist of what they needed to see for this to go further as a varsity sport, and that's something we hadn't had yet," Bonds said.
Bonds emphasized that U.S. District Judge Stefan Underhill's July 21 ruling has no legal effect on the Terps because the case is specific to Quinnipiac University, which was sued by its volleyball team after the school attempted to replace it with a competitive cheer team to save money.
"Competitive cheer may, some time in the future, qualify as a sport under Title IX," Underhill wrote. "Today, however, the activity is still too underdeveloped and disorganized to be treated as offering genuine varsity athletic participation opportunities for students."
Bonds does not disagree. But she is quick to point out the court's ruling is based on the sport's state in March 2009, when the lawsuit was first filed. Bonds believes the sport's newfound publicity will help it as it seeks legal legitimacy.
The Terps' competitive cheerleading team achieved varsity status in 2003, the first competitive cheer team in the country to do so. The Terps took home three straight National Cheerleaders Association championships from 2006 to 2008 and added another title last season.
Teams from Fairmont State, Morgan State, Oregon and Quinnipiac joined the Terps at the varsity level in 2009. The addition of Baylor in 2010 brought the number of varsity squads to six, four short of the 10 required for the NCAA's emerging sport status.
The court ruling might have momentarily taken the sport's focus off the mat and into the courtroom, but Bonds believes it will ultimately serve a greater purpose.
"We're still moving forward," Bonds said. "We're just using this a mission to educate people."
schneider@umdbk.com
is a member of the 
Be the first to comment on this article! Log in to Comment
You must be logged in to comment on an article. Not already a member? Register now