📣 Cheerleading

Competitive cheerleading is a scored team sport built from stunts, pyramids, tumbling and jumps, performed to a routine of about two and a half minutes. Sideline cheer for other teams is where it began and still exists alongside.

🚀 Start Here

• Cheerleading Equipment List
• Positions and Roles Explained
• Cheerleading Terms and Slang
• Best Cheerleading Athletes of All Time
• Where Cheerleading Is Most Popular

⏳ Cheerleading History

• 1898: Johnny Campbell led the first organized cheer at the University of Minnesota, marking the formation of the first spirit squad.
• 1920s: Women joined cheerleading squads, transforming it into a performance art. Also, the time when cheerleading uniforms were first introduced.
• 1948: Lawrence “Herkie” Herkimer founded the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA), playing a key role in standardizing cheerleading.
• 1960s: Professional cheerleading teams took off, with the Baltimore Colts becoming the first NFL team to have an official squad. The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders also debuted their iconic uniforms.
• 1970s to 1980s: Cheerleading became a competitive sport, with the formation of the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) and the American Cheerleading Association (ACA).
• 1990s: Competitive cheerleading expanded internationally, with countries like Australia, Canada, and Japan forming national competitive cheer organizations.
• 2000s: ESPN began broadcasting cheerleading competitions, raising public awareness.
• 2010s: The International Cheer Union (ICU) was established and recognized by the International Olympic Committee, supporting the sport’s future inclusion in the Olympics.