If you’ve ever been to a football or basketball game you’ve seen that big group of girls and boys throwing each other in the air and yelling at the top of their lungs on the sidelines. They are kind of hard to miss. But, do you ever think about who even came up with this weird idea?
Cheerleading roots are closely tied to American football’s. The first game was played in 1869 between Princeton University and Rutgers University in New Jersey. And, by the 1880’s Princeton had formed an all-male pep club. A graduate of Princeton, Thomas Peebles, took the Princeton cheers to the University of Minnesota where football and fight songs were becoming very popular. Cheerleading grew from there.
Before 1923, cheerleading was predominantly a male sport just like many others during that time. When women were finally taken onto the teams, they began to add tumbling and different acrobatics to their routines. A cheerleader from the University of Oregon also started using flashcards for the first time. Although women were joining the teams in the 20’s, it wasn’t until the 40’s that they began to join in very large numbers since so many college-aged men went to fight in World War II.
By the 1960’s cheerleading could be found in virtually any high school and grade school across the country. The 80’s decade brought the launch of many more event companies as well as AACCA (American Association of Cheerleading Coaches Administrators). All-star cheerleading also began in the 80’s and grew rapidly throughout the 90’s. All-star cheerleading focused on athletic training and competition performances, as opposed to sideline (or school-based) cheerleading. Today, many companies focus primarily on All-Star cheerleading.
The original purpose of cheerleading is still relevant in today’s world, even with the increasing popularity of competition. Cheerleaders are to promote their schools and communities. They are a key to marketing tools in athletic programs and their support. Most importantly, they are tomorrow’s leaders through the development and athletic skills taught to them.
By: Rayven Nealey
This weeks sports 