In the past, I have spoken and written quite a bit about stretching. See here, here, here.
Recently, the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research published some more articles demonstrating yet again that stretching does not help performance and that it actually makes it worse. However, regardless of just how much research is published denouncing stretching, people still do it.
So, the question–again–becomes, why stretch?
http://f-marc.com/11plus/11plus/
Static Stretching Can Impair Explosive Performance for At Least 24 Hours
Effects of Static and Dynamic Stretching on Sprint and Jump Performance in Boys and Girls
Effects of Static Stretching on 1-Mile Uphill Run Performance
http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/2014/01000/Relationships_Between_Strength,_Sprint,_and_Jump.23.aspx
http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/2014/01000/The_Effects_of_Myofascial_Release_With_Foam.8.aspx
http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/2014/01000/The_Relationship_Between_Gluteal_Muscle_Activation.12.aspx
http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/2014/01000/Static_Stretching_Can_Impair_Explosive_Performance.18.aspx
http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/pages/results.aspx?txtKeywords=static%20stretching
http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/2014/01000/Effects_of_Static_and_Dynamic_Stretching_on_Sprint.20.aspx
http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/2014/01000/Effects_of_Static_Stretching_on_1_Mile_Uphill_Run.21.aspx