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