Read the beginning of a student’s proposal essay The Athlete on the Sidelines It’s midseason in cheer nation. This winter, thousands of girls will travel on college all-star teams to take part in competitions across the country. Practicing more than 20 hours a week, they will refine a routine of back flips, hansprings, round-offs and splits—all perfectly synchronized and timed to an Olympic second. Their goal: first place. Their game: competitive cheerleading, one of the fastest-growing sports for women in America. For too many years, cheerleading has been the subject of derision. Sports Illustrated has lampooned it. Many Americans fail to distinguish it from the sideline shows the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders put on. Back when I was a cheerleader in high school in the late 70s, we were called a sideshow. In those days, we performed at every sporting event—football, basketball and baseball. ... As in most proposal arguments, the student’s first task is to convince readers that a problem exists. She has to persuade readers to take competitive cheerleading seriously and to show them why it is problematic for competitive cheerleaders not to be granted varsity sports status.