Rio T.

Photo of me in my old cheerleading outfit.

Cheerleading is a well-known sport worldwide. Many sports, like football and basketball, have their cheerleaders. While many people may see cheerleading as some girls dancing around, but the sport has an interesting history.

 One of the first recorded cheer chants was deprived from the Princeton crowd in 1884. The Princeton graduate Thomas Peebles then took this idea to the University of Minnesota.

On November 2nd, 1898, Johnny Campbel, a University of Minnesota student, led the student section in a chant. Then, the idea of cheerleading came. November 2nd is now known as the birthday of cheerleading.

After November 2nd, students followed the trend, even taking it to the text level with props, such as pom poms. 

Cheerleading teams were formed, originally with more men than women. However, WW2 drafted most men, making women join. Now, cheerleading is a female-dominated sport, with over 85% of cheerleaders being women. 

Then, instructors started making camps and competitions. Later on, cheerleaders started incorporating flips and tumbles into their routines. 

Cheerleading had become so big, that in 2004, the International Cheer Union (ICU) was formed. In 2013, they were granted the Governing Body Status. 

Currently, cheerleading is one of the most recognized activities- not just in the USA, but all over the world.