Previous attempts at obtaining Title IX approval for cheerleading were aimed at allowing college athletics departments to include their existing cheer and dance team squads. However, these attempts were unsuccessful because Title IX compliance requires that a particular team's primary purpose be actual athletics competition, and this clearly was not the case.

Maryland has taken a different approach. It has retained its traditional coed cheerleading team that has responsibility for school spirit functions. It also has added a new all-female team that will only compete and will not cheer on the sidelines at games. The labeling of this new team as "cheerleaders," when the leading of cheers is not involved, has created confusion. The move also has resulted in a backlash from some women's sports advocacy groups and others involved in the traditional cheerleading community.

Clearly, the confusion caused by calling this new team "cheerleading" could easily open up the floodgates for colleges and even high schools to attempt to count all cheerleaders, whether they compete or not, for Title IX compliance. Already some organizations and institutions have suggested that not only cheerleaders, but dance teams, twirlers and other band auxiliary groups be included in the Title IX numbers. These other groups also consist of dedicated athletes who engage in strenuous activity and compete occasionally, but their primary role is to entertain.

Furthermore, it can be argued that including groups such as cheerleaders, dance teams and twirlers at the expense of other traditional sports such as field hockey, soccer and rowing, for example, would not really increase opportunities for women to participate in college athletics, which is what Title IX was designed to do.

While the issues may be complex, the answer to this dilemma may be relatively simple: Change the name.

At thousands of schools, cheerleading squads retain the traditional leadership and spirit-raising activities that have been part of this activity for more than 100 years. Many of these squads also compete, but on a limited basis. And frankly, many schools view the opportunity to compete, albeit only once or twice a year, as a way to attract the kind of athletic students they desire to be effective leaders on the sidelines. It also serves as a reward for the hard work these young people do throughout the year in support of their sports teams.

With this heritage, and with more than a million students participating annually, it is only reasonable and fair to protect the name of this important part of our American sports scene. Therefore, perhaps the best solution for all concerned is to call the new strictly competitive concept promoted by Maryland by a name that can in no way be confused with traditional cheerleading.

Ideally, I believe this new sport should be called something that describes what the athletes really do, but doesn't involve "cheer" or "leader." This could perhaps be something like Team Stunt or Synchronized Stunt Team. And if a derivation of cheerleader must be used, then simply using "Competitive Cheer," as Maryland has done, won't do it, because traditional cheerleaders already compete. In a case like this, something like AcroCheer might work.

I certainly respect the right for Maryland to try to carve out the performance aspects of cheerleading as a sport, but if the two activities are not clearly separated, we stand to lose the true spirit of cheerleading and what cheerleaders bring to their school, their student body and their local community.

Unlike most athletes who participate in sports, a significant part of the activities performed by traditional cheerleaders take place "outside the lines." According to T. Lynn Williamson, longtime administrator for the highly respected University of Kentucky cheerleaders, the Wildcats squad made more than 150 appearances at games and public-relations, charitable and community events this past year. They competed in only one national competition.

Jeff Dieta, who oversees the spirit program for the University of Texas at Austin, believes most colleges don't want the confusion. "We look to our cheerleaders mainly to spearhead spirit activities for our sports teams," he said. "Our cheers and chants are more effective when we use athletic moves, so we want athletic students on our squad. Letting our team compete once at the end of the year also helps us recruit the type of kids we want, and it shows our appreciation for all they do for our athletics department. Clearly, though, when young people come to Texas to be a cheerleader, they know we expect their emphasis to be on helping us generate spirit and support at our games."

It is critical that we not lose the enthusiasm, leadership and integrity of cheerleading, and the pageantry it brings to college sports. Separating the two activities by changing the name of the new concept ensures that the traditional cheerleading group remains a vibrant, active part of today's college sports scene. It also should allay fears from women's sports advocacy groups concerned about Title IX erosion, while providing schools such as Maryland with an opportunity to move forward with strictly competitive teams.

Even Lura Fleece, who coaches Maryland's competition-only squad, said a name change would help. She said, "You know what the problem is? We do all these difficult maneuvers. We compete; we're a team; and the university declares us a sport. But people say we're cheerleaders and everyone thinks of the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders. That's the problem. It would be a whole lot easier if we were just called something else."

Change the name. It's simply the best thing to do for all concerned, including the more than one million individuals who participate in cheerleading today.

Jeff Webb is a former cheerleader at the University of Oklahoma and currently serves as president and CEO of the Universal Cheerleaders Association.