History of Cheerleading and Competitive Cheer

Introduction

Cheerleading is one of the most distinctive American sporting traditions, with continuous documented practice from 1898 University of Minnesota origins through the modern global competitive cheer circuit. The cheerleading tradition has been shaped by late 19th-century American college football cultural tradition, early 20th-century American college cheerleading tradition, mid-20th-century Lawrence Herkimer's National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) competitive structure, and the modern International Cheer Union (ICU) competitive structure. The modern global cheerleading landscape is anchored by the International Cheer Union (ICU, founded 2004), the Cheerleading Worlds (held annually since 2004 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Orlando, Florida), the ICU World Cheerleading Championships (held annually since 2005), the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA, founded 1948), the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA, founded 1974), Varsity Spirit (the principal modern cheerleading commercial corporation), and various national cheerleading federations across approximately 110 cheerleading nations. This article surveys the full history of cheerleading from 1898 University of Minnesota origins through the modern global competitive cheer circuit.

1898 University of Minnesota Origins

Cheerleading extends from 1898 University of Minnesota origins. Johnny Campbell (subsequently a University of Minnesota medical school graduate), the principal University of Minnesota student, organized the first documented cheerleading event at the November 2, 1898 University of Minnesota versus Northwestern University football game. Johnny Campbell's principal University of Minnesota Rouser cheer ("Rah, Rah, Rah! Sku-u-Mar Hoo-Rah! Hoo-Rah! Varsity! Varsity! Varsity! Minn-e-So-Tah!") established the principal modern American cheerleading tradition. The continued early 20th-century American college cheerleading tradition has continued through subsequent decades. The principal early 20th-century University of Minnesota Yell Leaders tradition extended the principal modern American college cheerleading tradition. The continued American college cheerleading tradition has continued through subsequent decades. Various other principal early 20th-century American college cheerleading traditions including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and various other principal American college cheerleading traditions have continued through subsequent decades.

1923 Women's Cheerleader Inclusion

The 1923 first University of Minnesota women's cheerleader inclusion extended the principal modern American women's cheerleading tradition. The continued American college and high school women's cheerleading tradition through subsequent decades has continued. The 1930s and 1940s American women's cheerleading expansion through subsequent decades has continued. The principal World War II era American women's cheerleading expansion (with the principal American men's cheerleading reduction due to American World War II military service) substantially extended the principal American women's cheerleading tradition. The continued mid-20th century American women's cheerleading expansion has continued through subsequent decades. The principal American men's cheerleading partial recovery in the 1950s and 1960s extended the principal American mixed-gender cheerleading tradition. The continued American mixed-gender cheerleading tradition has continued through subsequent decades.

Lawrence Herkimer and 1948 NCA

Lawrence Russell Herkimer (1925-2015), the American cheerleading pioneer and Southern Methodist University cheerleader, established the principal modern American cheerleading tradition. Lawrence Herkimer's 1948 National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) founding established the principal modern American cheerleading sanctioning body. Lawrence Herkimer's 1948 first NCA cheerleading camp at Sam Houston State University extended the principal modern American cheerleading training tradition. The continued NCA cheerleading camps annually since 1948 has continued through subsequent decades. Lawrence Herkimer's principal Herkie Jump (the principal Herkimer-developed cheerleading jump) extended the principal modern American cheerleading technique tradition. The 1956 Lawrence Herkimer's principal Herkimer Pompon (the principal Herkimer-developed cheerleading pompon) extended the principal modern American cheerleading equipment tradition. The continued Lawrence Herkimer cultural prominence has continued through subsequent decades. The 2015 Lawrence Herkimer's death at age 89 extended the Herkimer legacy.

1974 UCA and Jeff Webb

Jeff Webb (born 1949), the American cheerleading pioneer and Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) founder, extended the principal modern American cheerleading tradition. Jeff Webb's 1974 UCA founding extended the principal modern American cheerleading sanctioning body. The continued UCA cheerleading camps and UCA cheerleading competitions through subsequent decades has continued. Jeff Webb's 1980 first UCA National High School Cheerleading Championship extended the principal modern American high school cheerleading championship tradition. The continued UCA National High School Cheerleading Championship annually since 1980 has continued through subsequent decades. Jeff Webb's principal Varsity Spirit founding extended the principal modern American cheerleading commercial corporation tradition. The continued Varsity Spirit corporate development has continued through subsequent decades. Varsity Spirit subsequently acquired the NCA, UCA, and various other principal American cheerleading sanctioning bodies, becoming the principal modern American cheerleading commercial corporation.

2004 ICU Founding and the Cheerleading Worlds

The 2004 International Cheer Union (ICU) founding established the principal international cheerleading sanctioning body. The 2004 ICU founding by approximately 14 national cheerleading federations established the principal international cheerleading sanctioning body. The 2004 first Cheerleading Worlds at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Orlando, Florida established the principal modern international cheerleading championship. The continued Cheerleading Worlds annually since 2004 has continued through subsequent decades. The 2005 first ICU World Cheerleading Championships extended the principal modern international cheerleading championship. The continued ICU World Cheerleading Championships annually since 2005 has continued through subsequent decades. The ICU currently recognizes approximately 110 national cheerleading federations across the world. The continued ICU national federation expansion has continued through subsequent decades. The continued ICU and Cheerleading Worlds broadcast tradition through ESPN has continued through subsequent decades.

IOC Recognition

The 2016 IOC provisional recognition of cheerleading extended the principal modern Olympic cheerleading recognition. The 2016 IOC Executive Board provisional recognition of cheerleading (with the ICU as the principal international cheerleading sanctioning body) extended the principal modern Olympic cheerleading recognition. The 2021 IOC full recognition of cheerleading (with the ICU as the principal international cheerleading sanctioning body) extended the principal modern Olympic cheerleading recognition. The continued ICU Olympic cheerleading inclusion advocacy has continued through subsequent decades. The 2024 Paris Summer Olympics did not include cheerleading as an Olympic sport. The 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics did not include cheerleading as an Olympic sport. The continued ICU Olympic cheerleading inclusion advocacy has continued through subsequent decades. The 2032 Brisbane Summer Olympics potential cheerleading Olympic inclusion has continued through subsequent decades.

All-Star Cheerleading Tradition

The principal All-Star cheerleading tradition (the principal modern American competitive cheerleading tradition with cheerleading-specific competitive clubs separate from school cheerleading) extends from the 1980s-1990s American All-Star cheerleading emergence. The principal All-Star cheerleading competitive structure includes various All-Star cheerleading competitive levels (Levels 1-7) and various All-Star cheerleading club competitive categories. The principal United States All Star Federation (USASF, founded 2003) extended the principal modern American All-Star cheerleading sanctioning body. The continued USASF All-Star cheerleading competitive structure has continued through subsequent decades. The principal All-Star cheerleading competitive events including the Cheerleading Worlds, the NCA All-Star Nationals, the UCA International All-Star Championship, the The Summit (the principal Varsity Spirit annual All-Star cheerleading championship), and various other principal All-Star cheerleading competitive events have continued through subsequent decades. The continued All-Star cheerleading tradition has continued through subsequent decades.

Cheerleading Technique and Equipment

Modern competitive cheerleading involves the principal cheerleading routine structure including the principal stunting (the principal cheerleading lifting and balancing technique), tumbling (the principal cheerleading gymnastics technique), jumping (the principal cheerleading jumping technique, including the Herkie, Toe Touch, Pike, and various other principal cheerleading jumps), dancing (the principal cheerleading dancing technique), and cheering (the principal cheerleading vocal technique). The principal competitive cheerleading routine duration is approximately 2:30. The principal competitive cheerleading scoring includes various technical and execution criteria. The principal competitive cheerleading equipment includes the principal cheerleading uniform, cheerleading shoes, pompons, megaphones, and various other principal cheerleading equipment. The continued cheerleading equipment manufacturing tradition has continued through subsequent decades. The continued cheerleading technical innovation through subsequent decades has continued.

Cheerleading Culture and Modern Era

Cheerleading culture extends substantially beyond the competitive cheerleading tradition. The principal American cheerleading cultural tradition (with extensive American cheerleading cultural prominence) has continued through subsequent decades. The principal Cheer (the 2020 Netflix documentary series about Navarro College Cheer Team) extended the principal modern cheerleading cultural prominence. The continued Cheer Netflix documentary series has continued through subsequent decades. The principal Bring It On (the 2000 American cheerleading film starring Kirsten Dunst) extended the principal modern cheerleading cultural prominence. The principal Cheer Squad (the principal Canadian cheerleading documentary series) extended the principal modern cheerleading cultural prominence. The continued American cheerleading broadcast tradition through ESPN, CBS Sports, and various other principal American cheerleading broadcasters has continued through subsequent decades. The continued cheerleading broadcast development has continued through subsequent decades. The continued cheerleading commercial development has continued through subsequent decades. The cheerleading tradition has continued to be one of the principal American sporting cultural identity markers.

The Future of Cheerleading, Conclusion, and Sources

The future of cheerleading faces significant questions in the third decade of the twenty-first century. The continued ICU development, Cheerleading Worlds continuation, ICU World Cheerleading Championships continuation, Olympic cheerleading inclusion advocacy, broadcast development, globalization of the cheerleading talent pool, USASF All-Star cheerleading development, and traditional American cheerleading preservation will continue to shape the cheerleading landscape. The continued ICU and USASF cheerleading governance development through subsequent decades will continue to shape the cheerleading tradition. Cheerleading Worlds, ICU World Cheerleading Championships, NCA All-Star Nationals, UCA International All-Star Championship, The Summit, and other principal cheerleading competitions will continue through subsequent decades. Individual cheerleading figures will continue to shape the cheerleading tradition. The continued careers of various modern cheerleading figures including Monica Aldama (the Navarro College Cheer Team head coach from the Cheer Netflix documentary series), Gabi Butler, La'Darius Marshall, Morgan Simianer, and various other modern cheerleading figures will continue to shape the cheerleading legacy. Yet the basic principle of cheerleading — the fundamental American sporting tradition that has underpinned the American sporting cultural identity since the 1898 University of Minnesota emergence — has shaped the American sporting cultural tradition for more than 125 years and continues to be one of the principal American sporting cultural identity markers. Sources include: Mary Ellen Hanson, Go! Fight! Win!: Cheerleading in American Culture (Bowling Green State University Popular Press, 1995); Natalie Guice Adams and Pamela J. Bettis, Cheerleader!: An American Icon (Palgrave Macmillan, 2003); BBC Sport coverage, bbc.co.uk/sport; ICU archives, cheerunion.org.