Cheerleading began in the mid to late 1800s and was started by men. Crowds realized that they felt more enthusiastic when they had someone leading cheers and chants. The cheerleading known today (involving dances, stunts, and tumbling) began in 1980, but it wasn’t officially recognized as a sport until 1999. Soon after it’s approval, cheerleading was broadcasted on television sports channels. Over the next years, organizations began developing safety standards and guidelines for teams.
The National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) was founded by the grandfather of cheer, Lawrence Herkimer, in 1948. Lawrence Herkimer hosted the first cheer camps and patented the first pair of pom poms. He also created the “herkie” cheer jump when attempting to do a split jump.
The Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) was founded in 1974. This program aided high school and college cheerleaders in building skills and educating cheer squads. They’ve also hosted a number of camps that many high school and college cheer teams attend.
Image above by Farrukh. UCA cheerleaders smiling at the London New Years Day Parade 2008.
Today there are distinctions between High School Cheer and All Star Cheer.
Want to learn more about Lawrence Herkimer?
Varsity, a well known cheer and dance brand, lists some fun facts about the grandfather of modern cheerleading.
High school & all star cheer 