Johnny Campbell led the first organized cheer at a University of Minnesota football game in 1898, and cheerleading stayed all-male for 25 years.
The timeline covers women joining in the 1920s, Lawrence Herkimer founding the NCA in 1948 and inventing both the Herkie jump and the pom-pom, the split between sideline and all-star cheer, and the IOC recognition granted in 2021.
Key Facts
| Who invented cheerleading? | Johnny Campbell, a University of Minnesota student who led the first organised cheer at a football game in 1898. |
| Was it originally male? | Yes. Cheerleading was an all-male college activity for its first quarter century and women only joined in the 1920s. |
| Who founded the NCA? | Lawrence Herkimer in 1948. He also invented the Herkie jump and the pom-pom as a manufactured product. |
| Is it a sport? | The International Olympic Committee granted full recognition to the International Cheer Union in 2021, but it is not yet on the Olympic programme. |
| What are the two branches? | Sideline cheer, which supports another team, and all-star competitive cheer, which is judged on its own routines. |
| How many take part? | Several million worldwide, with the United States accounting for the large majority and over a hundred member nations registered. |
Cheerleading History Summary
- ⏳ Origins and Evolution: Cheerleading began in the late 19th century as an all-male activity to support college sports teams. Women joined the scene in the 1920s, and cheerleading transformed into a dynamic performance art combining gymnastics, dance, and elaborate stunts.
- 🚀 Rise to Prominence: The birth of professional cheerleading teams in the 1960s and the formation of competitive cheerleading organizations in the 1970s and 1980s propelled cheerleading to new heights. Today, it is a highly-regarded competitive sport with worldwide recognition and participation.
- 🥇 Noteworthy Growth and Adaptation: Cheerleading has continuously evolved through incorporating diverse influences, incorporating new techniques, and embracing advancements in safety and training. The sport’s outreach programs and recognition as a provisional Olympic sport underscore its lasting impact on the global sports stage.
Timeline
| Year | What Happened |
|---|---|
| 1898 | Johnny Campbell leads an organised chant at a Minnesota football game and the first spirit squad forms. |
| 1920s | Women join squads for the first time and gymnastics and dance elements enter the routines. |
| 1948 | Lawrence Herkimer founds the National Cheerleaders Association and runs the first summer camps. |
| 1960s | Professional squads appear in the NFL and cheerleading gains a television audience of its own. |
| 1972 | Title IX opens school athletics to girls in America and cheerleading participation grows sharply. |
| 1978 | The first national championship is broadcast on CBS and competitive cheer separates from sideline cheer. |
| 1987 | The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators is founded and safety rules are standardised. |
| 2004 | The International Cheer Union is founded to govern the sport across national federations. |
| 2021 | The IOC grants full recognition to the sport, the step before any Olympic inclusion. |
Cheerleading spent its first fifty years as a men’s activity and its next fifty being argued about as a sport. The 2021 recognition settled the governance question without settling the Olympic one.
Cheerleading is one of the largest school sports in America. See the full high school sports list for what it competes with for participants.
1898
Considered the birthplace of cheerleading, the University of Minnesota is where student Johnny Campbell led the first organized cheer at a college football game. With his fellow student supporters, Campbell formed the school’s first spirit squad to cheer on their team.
This event marked the beginning of cheerleading as an organized sport in the United States. Cheerleading squads quickly became more common among colleges and universities across the nation.
1920s
In the 1920s, women started joining cheerleading squads, and all-female cheer teams began to form. At this time, cheerleading underwent a significant transformation, becoming more focused on gymnastics and dance elements.
Also, during this decade, the initial cheerleading uniforms were introduced, consisting of sweaters, skirts, and saddle shoes. These uniforms established a recognizable visual identity for cheerleading and set the foundation for the athletic wear we see today.
1948
In 1948, Lawrence “Herkie” Herkimer, a former cheerleader at Southern Methodist University, founded the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA). By conducting workshops and cheerleading camps across the nation, the NCA played a vital role in standardizing and promoting the sport of cheerleading.
Herkimer is also credited with inventing the “Herkie” jump, the popular spirit stick, and the iconic pom-poms widely associated with cheerleading today.
1960s
The 1960s marked the beginning of professional cheerleading teams. In 1961, the Baltimore Colts became the first National Football League (NFL) team to have an official cheerleading squad. This development significantly raised the profile of cheerleading within the national sports landscape.
Later in the decade, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders debuted their iconic uniforms and elaborate routines, setting a new standard for professional cheerleading and helping to elevate the sport’s reputation and popularity.
1970s – 1980s
In the late 1970s, cheerleading took a competitive turn with the establishment of the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) and the American Cheerleading Association (ACA). These organizations facilitated the growth of competitive cheerleading as a distinct sport apart from sideline cheering.
Throughout the 1980s, cheerleading continued to integrate advanced choreography, gymnastics, and stunts, significantly raising the bar for competitive cheerleading teams. Competitions like the National High School Cheerleading Championship helped to popularize and define the sport.
1990s
In the 1990s, competitive cheerleading experienced significant international growth. Countries such as Australia, Canada, and Japan started introducing cheerleading into their schools and forming national competitive cheer organizations.
This decade also saw a rise in all-star cheerleading teams, which were not associated with schools or sports teams. These privately-run clubs focused solely on competitive cheerleading and produced highly skilled athletes.
2000s to 2010s
In the early 2000s, the sport of cheerleading gained even more recognition as ESPN began broadcasting competitions to a wider audience. This increased exposure led to greater public awareness of cheerleading as a competitive sport.
The 2010s witnessed further advancements in cheerleading, including the establishment of the International Cheer Union (ICU) and its recognized status as a member of the International Olympic Committee, supporting the sport’s potential inclusion in future Olympic Games.
FAQ
Who invented Cheerleading?
Johnny Campbell, an undergraduate at the University of Minnesota, invented Cheerleading. He led the crowd in a cheer during a football game in 1898, marking the birth of cheerleading.
How did Cheerleading become so popular?
Cheerleading’s popularity grew with its spread to high schools, colleges, and professional sports. Key factors include the inclusion of acrobatic stunts, dance routines, and the introduction of competitive cheerleading.
Where did Cheerleading originate?
Cheerleading originated in the United States, specifically at the University of Minnesota, as a way to generate crowd participation and support for sports teams.
