Readthebeginningofastudent’sproposalessay TheAthleteontheSidelines It’smidseasonincheernation.Thiswinter,thousandsofgirlswilltraveloncollegeall-starteamstotakepartincompetitionsacrossthecountry.Practicingmorethan20hoursaweek,theywillrefinearoutineofbackflips,hansprings,round-offsandsplits—allperfectlysynchronizedandtimedtoanOlympicsecond.Theirgoal:firstplace.Theirgame:competitivecheerleading,oneofthefastest-growingsportsforwomeninAmerica. Fortoomanyyears,cheerleadinghasbeenthesubjectofderision.SportsIllustratedhaslampoonedit.ManyAmericansfailtodistinguishitfromthesidelineshowstheDallasCowboyscheerleadersputon.BackwhenIwasacheerleaderinhighschoolinthelate70s,wewerecalledasideshow.Inthosedays,weperformedateverysportingevent—football,basketballandbaseball.… Asinmostproposalarguments,thestudent’sfirsttaskistoconvincereadersthataproblemexists.Shehastopersuadereaderstotakecompetitivecheerleadingseriouslyandtoshowthemwhyitisproblematicforcompetitivecheerleadersnottobegrantedvarsitysportsstatus.