Cheerleading

Cheerleading is the organized use of song, dance and/or gymnastics to encourage crowds to cheer on sports teams at games and matches. It is also undertaken as a recreational activity and as a competitive sport involving organized routines; this form is most popular in the United States and Canada. A cheerleading performer is a cheerleader.

History

Cheerleading made its entrance at Princeton University in the 1880s with the chant, "Rah rah rah, tiger tiger tiger, sis sis sis, boom boom boom ahhhhhhh, Princeton Princeton Princeton!" This was an attempt to encourage the crowd at their sporting competitions to cheer. Although it is estimated that 90% of today's cheerleading participants are female, cheerleading started out as an all-male activity. As the practice spread, it became largely a female activity as time progressed. A significant factor was limited availability of female collegiate sports. By the 1950s, most American high schools had formed cheerleading squads.

Related Topics:
Princeton University - 1950 - American

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Cheerleading is most closely associated with American football, and to a lesser degree with basketball. Sports such as soccer (football), hockey and baseball rarely have cheerleaders.

Related Topics:
American football - Basketball - Soccer (football) - Hockey - Baseball

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In 1948, Lawrence "Herkie" Herkimer formed the National Cheerleading Association (NCA) as a way to hold cheerleading clinics. The National Cheerleading Association held its first clinic in 1949 with 52 girls in attendence. The next year, the clinic had grown to 350 cheerleaders.

Related Topics:
1948 - 1949

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By the 1960s, cheerleading had grown to be a staple in American high school and collegiate sports. Organized cheerleading competitions began to crop up with the first ranking of the "Top Ten College Cheerleading Squads" and "Cheerleader All America" awards given out by the International Cheerleading Foundation (now the World Cheerleading Association or WCA) in 1967. In 1978, America was introduced to the world of competitive cheerleading by the first broadcast of Collegiate Cheerleading Championships on CBS.

Related Topics:
1967 - 1978 - CBS

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In the early 1970s, the Balitimore Colts are believed to be the first National Football League (NFL) team to organize a professional cheerleading team. However, it was the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders who gained the spotlight with their revealing outfits and sophisticated dance moves, which debuted in the 1972-1973 season, but were first seen widely in the 1976 Super Bowl. This caused the image of cheerleaders to permanently change, with many other teams emulating them.

Related Topics:
National Football League - Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders - 1976 - Super Bowl

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The 1980s saw the onset of modern cheerleading, with more difficult stunts and gymnastics skills being incorporated into routines. Cheerleading organizations started applying safety guidelines and offering courses on safety training for coaches and sponsors. In 1984, Cheer Ltd. Inc. established the National Cheer Conference (NCC) for cheer coaches to receive instruction and hands-on course work in cheerleading techniques. AACCA and NCSSE are the two safety certification nationally and internationally recognized in the industry.

Related Topics:
Cheer Ltd. Inc. - National Cheer Conference - AACCA - NCSSE

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The spirit industry leaders were united with the unprecendented 2004 establishment of SITA, the Spirit Industry Trade Association. Founded by leaders of nine major cheerleading companies including American Championships, America's Best, AmeriCheer, Athletic Championships, Atlantic Cheer & Dance, Cheer Ltd. Inc, COA, ECA, and UPA, the industry trade association includes both cheerleading companies, affiliate companies, and safety organizations.

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The August 2005 death of Ashley Burns, a 14 year old cheerleader, when practicing a stunt drew attention to the risks in the development of cheerleading stunts.

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Today, cheerleading has grown to an estimated 4 million participants in the United States alone, and it is quickly growing in popularity in other countries.

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