Getting girls into sports where you can be pretty?

Yup I agree re Cheerleading. No cheering, no chaps, no ra-ra; just acrobatics, gymnastics and dance. Unlike POGS I am a feminist and though my initial reaction was negative based on all the American stuff, once I saw it I realised it was fine. My GDs do lots of dance and gymnastics, but cheerleading has a very strong element of trust and teamwork which makes it a bit different. Outfits are no different from gymnastics (although inevitably not the same colours and involving more expense for DD).

I am a bit upset that there is a perceived attitude that cheerleading is fluffy and to titillate the male sex.

POGS - no need to be upset, it's just opinions and we all view things differently. If boys wore skimpy outfits, waved pom poms around and did athletic jumps and dance to entertain whilst the girls got down to winning the game, I might change my mind

It's not all about winning. It's about staying fit and healthy. Not everyone is competitive and isn't it better if girls/women can find an activity that they enjoy. I agree that the 'just cheering the boys on' is not to be applauded, but as POGS pointed out that is not what these after-school activities are about.

There needs to be more variety offered in sport at primary level, for both sexes, and more specialists bought in to offer coaching.

What sports are offered at school nowadays? I can only speak for what is offered on the Island where I live and the activities on offer are very good and mirror my own school experience. Are there after school clubs as well?

You must have had a better curriculum then Holly
At primary school we it had netball, tennis and dance. Boys had football and cricket. There was the odd game of rounders and when the Annual Town Team Competitions, there was a quick flurry to find a couple of sprinters, long jumper and high jumper.
I was always chosen for the high jump but only got to practice about twice before the competition.

My GDs are at primary school. They do hockey, netball, football, athletics, cross-country and swimming, plus a few other sports.
Out of school one does ballet and the other gymnastics. They both do cheerleading which I will repeat for the third time, is about gymnastics, tumbling and team work and has nothing to do with pom-poms, skimpy costumes and cheering on boys, of which there are none.

Aka - yes, my school did offer more sport (in Birmingham) but the Isle of Man offers much the same as I experienced. I didn't realise there was not as much on offer.

Mamie - both of my granddaughters did pom-pom dancing and baton twirling so I have nothing against pom-poms per se; I just don't see the point of cheerleading - I'm not trying to be offensive and my comments aren't intended to offensive, I'm just giving my opinion on cheerleading.

Not remotely offended Hollydaze. Just pointing out that from my experience of actually watching my GDs' Cheerleading class that there isn't a skimpy costume or a pom-pom in sight. Perhaps the Cheerleading classes that you have watched are different?

it's news to me, Pogs & Mamie, that cheerleading doesn't actually involve cheering on a bunch of guys ( or even pretending to do that).
that being the case, it should definitley be renamed, in the interests of encouraging more girls into sport by making it sound like something they might want to do.