The Wonderful World of Cheerleading
The history of cheerleading
Cheerleading's roots are closely tied to American football’s. The first intercollegiate game was played in 1869, between Princeton University and Rutgers University in New Jersey, and by the 1880s, Princeton had formed an all-male pep club.
Cheerleading grew from there. It wasn’t until 1923 that women were allowed to cheer for the first time, at the University of Minnesota. During this decade, cheerleaders added tumbling and acrobatics to their routines, and a University of Oregon cheerleader used flashcards for the first time. Although women were joining teams in the ‘20s, it wasn’t until the ‘40s that they joined in large numbers, since so many college-aged men went off to fight in World War II.
By the 1960s, cheerleading could be found in virtually every high school
and grade school across the country, and pee wee and youth leagues had
developed as well. In 1974, Jeff Webb (who had been general manager of
NCA) founded Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA), which taught
higher level skills.
The ‘80s decade brought the launch of many more event companies, as well
as AACCA (American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and
Administrators), in 1987, the first association devoted to teaching
safety to coaches and advisors. UCA has grown into Varsity Spirit Corp.,
today, encompassing 17 cheerleading event, apparel and service
companies.
All Star cheerleading started in the late ‘80s, and grew rapidly through the ‘90s. All Star cheerleading focused on athletic training and competition performances, as opposed to school-based cheerleading, which still encompassed leadership and spirit qualities.
Today, many companies offer both scholastic and All Star categories, and some companies focus primarily on All Star cheerleading.
Learn more at Varsity.comCoded by Sophie Bacon