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Cheerleading is a phenomena that is unique to America. Its beginnings were in the 1800′s when a man named Thomas Peebles got the crowd at a Princeton University football game fired up with a chant that forever changed the way football games are watched. Peebles later brought these cheers to Minnesota and one spectator, Johnny Campbell, got so excited he jumped in front of the crowd and started to cheer. Mr Campbell was joined by university students from each department of study to form the first cheerleading team. Surprisingly the early years of cheerleading teams were all comprised of male yell leaders. Women finally made their way into the cheerleading ranks in the 1940′s when men were taken away to war.

Laurence Hurkmier, also known as Herkie, started the first organization for cheerleaders in 1948. He was the force behind creating the National Cheerleaders Association. He also created spirit items such as badges, ribbons and other items that could be sold for fundraising profits by cheerleaders.

The fifties were a time for the first organized cheerleader workshops. The sixties were responsible for pom poms and the dancing cheerleaders were born in the 1970′s. This is also the time when the first cheer competitions were started. The National Cheerleading Associating began handing out awards to the top ten colleges who had the best cheer squads. The cheerleading nation was born when the Colts created the first professional cheer team for the NFL. The Dallas Cowboys featured the first televised group of cheerleaders dancing for the nation for the super bowl in 1976. Cheerleading became popular and the first televised intercollegiate championship competition was held in 1978.

Cheerleading has come a long way in a short time and many scholarship opportunities at the college level are possible. Thanks to the many cheerleading associations now in place, there are guidelines for safety in this activity that is now a highly competitive activity. The 1990′s was a time where gyms sponsering competitive teams sprang up all over the nation. These many associations and gyms hold competitions across the nation that include private as well school cheer squads. High levels of gymnastic and dance moves are now common and cheerleading has finally become known as a sport with scholarships offered from many universities and colleges. Cheerleading may often be more exciting to watch than the sports that the cheer squads are meant to support.Want to know more? Go ahead: The History of Cheerleading, Where Should it Go From Here?