‘Taking part in a cheerleading competition meant my grade was capped’

For many student-athletes, balancing the pressures of university and demands of competitive sport can be a challenge. However, some international level cheerleaders argue that their universities do not support them and have experienced capped grades or been denied extensions.

Ruby Newman studies law in the north of England and attended the Cheerleading World Championships in Florida. Newman contacted the University to plea for an alternative exam date as the original date fell whilst she was on the trip.

The University replied in an email: “The school’s approach is that your sporting activities are akin to work experience or paid employment and therefore not grounds for upholding an NEC.” Newman had to complete the exam at 4am USA time. “It was difficult for me to sit the exam so early in the morning. Due to the long training hours in Florida, I felt I missed out on vital preparation time.”

Amelia Dodd attends a university in the north-west of England and also goes to the Cheerleading World Championships in Florida every year. She applied for extenuating circumstances at the beginning of this academic year, but her request was denied, and she now has to take her exam in the summer resits. This means that her results will be capped at a 40%, a third-class honour.

“I am not skipping the exam for a holiday or personal reasons—I was representing my university and my country,” Dodd said. “It feels like I am being punished for something that should be celebrated.”

Neither of those students attend Kingston University and when asked about its policy in such circumstances, the institution said: “The University has a special policy in place to allow academic flexibility for students competing in high performance sport, for which students are eligible if they are part of the Sports Performance Programme or represent Kingston University at the highest level of inter-university competition. This includes, where possible, authorised absence from academic commitments, flexible coursework deadlines and alternative opportunities to sit exams.”

Policies differ across institutions and appear to be considered on a case-by-case basis.