Asking for citizen input to help identify the best in high school sports in 2006 is an excellent idea, and I hope the newspaper receives many responses. The only problem with the poll, however, is the fact that you left competition cheerleading off the list.

Competition cheerleading is sanctioned by the Georgia High School Association just like all the other sports on the list.

The physical demands and the hours of practice required to be a competition cheerleader are similar to other sports, and the injury rate is higher than most.

These athletes must be in top physical condition to perform individual tumbling, team stunts, and dance routines, all highly choreographed. They are every bit as competitive as any other athlete.

McIntosh High School has been the state champion and makes it to the state finals most years, including the last three. Every high school in the county has a competition squad and usually two or three of these teams make it to the state finals where the top 16 teams in the state from each classification compete for the championship.

This year McIntosh, Whitewater, and Starr’s Mill made it to the AAAA state finals.

Whether a simple oversight or for some reason not recognizing it as a sport, I am hopeful that this newspaper will correct itself and add competition cheerleading to its list of high school sports.

Mark C. Adams
Peachtree City, Ga.