Module 006 – Cheerdance and Cheerleading
History of Cheerleading
Cheerleading ranges from yelling to intense physical activity for sports team motivation,
audience entertainment or competition based upon organized routines.
The routines usually range anywhere from one to three minutes, which may contain many
components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers and stunting in order to direct spectators of
events to cheer for sports teams at games or to participate in cheerleading competitions.
The yellers, dancers and athletes involved in cheerleading are called cheerleaders.
Cheerleading originated in the United States, and remains predominantly American, with
an estimated 1.5 million participants in all-star cheerleading.
The presentation of cheerleading as a sport to a global audience was led by the 1997 start
of broadcasts of cheerleading competition by ESPN International and the worldwide
release of the 2000 film Bring It On. Due in part to this recent exposure, there are now an
estimated 100,000 participants scattered around the rest of the world in countries
including Australia, Canada, China, Colombia, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, the
Netherlands, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
History
Organized cheerleading started as an all-male activity. As early as 1877, Princeton
University had a "Princeton Cheer", documented in the February 22, 1877, March 12, 1880,
and November 4, 1881, issues of the Daily Princetonian. This cheer was yelled from the
stands by students at games, as well as by the baseball and football athletes themselves.
The cheer, "Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah! Tiger! S-s-s-t! Boom! A-h-h-h!" remains in use with
slight modifications today and is now referred to as the "Locomotive".
Princeton class of 1882 graduate Thomas Peebles moved to Minnesota in 1884, and
transplanted the idea of organized crowds cheering at football games to the University of
Minnesota.
The term "Cheer Leader" had been used as early as 1897, with Princeton's football officials
having named three students as Cheer Leaders: Thomas, Easton and Guerin from
Princeton's classes of 1898, 1898 and 1899, respectively, on October 26, 1897; these
students would cheer for the team also at football practices, and special cheering sections
were designated in the stands for the games themselves for both the home and visiting
teams.
It was not until 1898 that University of Minnesota student Johnny Campbell directed a
crowd in cheering "Rah, Rah, Rah! Ski-u-mah, Hoo-Rah! Hoo-Rah! Varsity! Varsity! Varsity,
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Minn-e-So-Tah!", making Campbell the very first cheerleader and November 2, 1898 the
official birth date of organized cheerleading. Soon after, the University of Minnesota
organized a "yell leader" squad of six male students, who still use Campbell's original cheer
today. In 1903 the first cheerleading fraternity, Gamma Sigma, was founded.
Women joined cheerleading prior to 1907 and began to dominate it during World War II,
when few men were involved in organized sports. Gymnastics, tumbling and megaphones
were incorporated into popular cheers, and are still used.
Statistics show that around 97% of all modern cheerleading participants overall are female.
At the collegiate level, cheerleading is co-ed with about 50% of participants being male.
In 1948, Lawrence "Herkie" Herkimer, of Dallas, Texas, a former cheerleader at Southern
Methodist University, formed the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) in order to hold
clinics for cheerleading. In 1949, The National Cheerleaders Association held its first clinic
in Huntsville, Texas, with 52 girls in attendance. Herkimer contributed many firsts to the
cheer: the founding of the Cheerleader & Danz Team cheerleading uniform supply
company, inventing the herkie (where one leg is bent towards the ground and the other is
out to the side as high as it will stretch in the toe-touch position), and creating the "Spirit
Stick".
By the 1960s, college cheerleaders began hosting workshops across the nation, teaching
fundamental cheer skills to high-school-age girls. In 1965, Fred Gastoff invented the vinyl
pom-pon, which was introduced into competitions by the International Cheerleading
Foundation (now the World Cheerleading Association or WCA). Organized cheerleading
competitions began to pop up with the first ranking of the "Top Ten College Cheerleading
Squads" and "Cheerleader All America" awards given out by the International Cheerleading
Foundation in 1967.
In 1978, America was introduced to competitive cheerleading by the first broadcast of
Collegiate Cheerleading Championships on CBS.
In the 1960s National Football League (NFL) teams began to organize their own
professional cheerleading teams. The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders soon gained the
spotlight with their revealing outfits and sophisticated dance moves, which debuted in the
1972-1973 season, but were first seen widely in Super Bowl X (1976). This caused the
image of cheerleaders to permanently change, with many other NFL teams emulating them.
The 1980s saw the beginning of modern cheerleading with more difficult stunt sequences
and gymnastics incorporated into routines. All-star teams started to pop up, and with them
the creation of the United States All-Star Federation (USASF).
ESPN first broadcast the National High School Cheerleading Competition nationwide in
1983.
Cheerleading organizations such as the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and
Advisors (AACCA), founded in 1987, started applying universal safety standards to
decrease the number of injuries and prevent dangerous stunts, pyramids and tumbling
passes from being included in the cheerleading routines.
In 2003, the National Council for Spirit Safety and Education (NCSSE) was formed to offer
safety training for youth, school, all star and college coaches. The NCAA requires college
cheer coaches to successfully complete a nationally recognized safety-training program.
The NCSSE or AACCA certification programs are both recognized by the NCAA.
Even with its athletic and competitive development, cheerleading at the school level has
retained its ties to the spirit leading traditions started back in the 1890s. Cheerleaders are
quite often seen as ambassadors for their schools, and leaders among the student body. At
the college level, cheerleaders are often invited to help at university fundraisers.
Cheerleading is very closely associated with American football and basketball. Sports such
as association football (soccer), ice hockey, volleyball, baseball and wrestling will
sometimes sponsor cheerleading squads. The ICC Twenty20 Cricket World Cup in South
Africa in 2007 was the first international cricket event to have cheerleaders. The Florida
Marlins were the first Major League Baseball team to have a cheerleading team. Debuting in
2003, the "Marlin Mermaids" gained national exposure and have influenced other MLB
teams to develop their own cheer/dance squads.
Cheerleading History
Cheerleading is an organized sports activity involving short routines that combine dance,
gymnastics, and stunt elements to cheer on teams, most commonly football. Performers of
these one to three-minute routines are called "cheerleaders". Cheerleading originated in
Britain and spread to the United States where it remains most common, but has also
become popular in other parts of the world, such as Europe, Central America, Australia,
New Zealand, Canada, and Asia.
Though founded on the notion that cheering before spectators in the stands would boost
school spirit and thereby improve team performance, cheerleading has become an All-Star
sport of its own. Cheer teams enter competitions every year, vying for large prizes and
trophies. Cheer teams can be found in middle and high schools, colleges, youth leagues, and
athletic associations. There is professional and All-Star cheerleading. There are an
estimated 3.5 million cheerleaders in the US alone, not including dance team members,
gymnasts, and other affiliated participants which would raise that number to above 5
million. Cheerleaders outside the US total about 100,000.
History
Cheerleading dates to the 1860s, in Great Britain, and entered the US in the 1880s.
Although women currently dominate the field, cheerleading was begun by men.
Princeton University, in 1884, got the idea that crowd chanting at football games would
boost school spirit so they came up with a catchy cheer.
Ray, Ray, Ray!
Tiger, Tiger, Tiger!
Sis, Sis, Sis!
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Boom, Boom, Boom
Aaaaah! Princeton, Princeton, Princeton!
A decade later Princeton grad and pep club member Thomas Peebles introduced the
University of Minnesota to the idea of chanting to a crowd of spectators. On November 2,
1898, U-Minnesota student Johnny Campbell led an organized cheer at a football game
between Minnesota and Princeton University, so you might say he was the first actual
"cheer leader". Minnesota was having a tough season that year, and it was thought that
cheering the team on might improve morale and affect the team's outcome. It may not have
changed their luck any, but it created a lasting trend and a sport in its own right.
Soon after, in 1903, the University of Minnesota organized the first cheer fraternity called
Gamma Sigma. They likely used a megaphone to project their voices; although it wasn't
until later that it became a popular accessory to cheerleading.
In the 1920s women became involved in cheerleading. And that's because there weren't
many intercollegiate sports available to them at the time. The lady yellers sported ankle length skirts and varsity sweaters. Minnesota continued to lead the sport of cheer into
widespread popularity. Female cheer squads began to include gymnastics, dance and other
showy stunts into routines, and in the 1930s cheers were aided by the use of paper pom poms (the first vinyl pom-poms weren't manufactured until 1965). By the1940s women
were mainly leading the cheers, and routines took on a voice their own.
In 1948 Lawrence Herkimer founded the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) which
began to hold cheer workshops. The first one was held that year, with more than 50
attendees. That number grew to 350 by the following year, and by the 1950s most high
schools had a squad.
By the 1960s just about every high school and college in the country had cheerleaders.
Professional cheerleading was introduced around this time under the National Football
League and its leader was the Dallas Cowboys debuting during the 1972-73 season. They
were first widely viewed at the 1976 Super Bowl X game, changing the face of cheerleading
as a profession.
Organized cheer competitions such as, "The Top Ten College Cheerleading Squads", and
"Cheerleader All America" became something intercollegiate squads aspired to. Awards
were distributed by the International Cheerleading Foundation, now the World
Cheerleading Association (WCA). In 1978 CBS broadcasted the first cheerleading
competition of this caliber.
And then another huge door for cheer was opened. The Title IX rule was passed in 1972
allowing females to complete in sports, and competitive cheerleading took off. The rule
states:
"No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in,
be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program
or activity receiving Federal financial assistance..."
Cheer uniforms sported a new look. Baggy sweaters were replaced by snazzy spandex
uniforms. Routines became showier, moves more complex. Cheer squads did more than
just encourage crowd participation; they were a sport all their own. Cheerleading took a
giant leap forward.
The Universal Cheerleaders Association was created in 1974 to provide educational
training for college and high school cheer squads. UCA summer camps were well-attended.
The first stunt taught was the spectacular "liberty" mount.
Modern cheerleading as we know it today began in the 1980s with flas hy dance routines
and gymnastics stunts. By 1997 cheerleading was recognized as an independent sport,
attracting national attention. It wasn't until 1999 that the sport of cheerleading was met
with official approval. And with the onset cable sports TV, ESPN, cheerleading was on the
map.
Cheerleading organizations had begun to regulate moves and emphasize safety. In 2003, a
national council was formed to offer safety workshops to cheerleading squads and their
coaches, and today the National Collegiate Athletic Association mandates that college cheer
coaches complete official safety courses.
The sport of cheerleading has gone from one enthusiastic guy chanting to a crowd of
hopeful spectators to a prestigious athletic activity showcasing the talents of both ma les
and females alike.
Lawrence Herkimer, "Grandfather of Cheerleading"
Lawrence "Herkie" Herkimer is a legend and innovator in the field of cheerleading. He
founded the National Cheerleaders Association at Southern Methodist University, holding
cheerleading camps since 1948. His first camp drew 52 girls and one boy. His camps have
since grown to more than twenty thousand attendees. He founded the Cheerleading Supply
Company in 1953, patenting the first pompoms, or pom-pons. Herkimer chose to call them
"Pom-pon" when he learned that the word "pom-pom" in other languages contained vulgar
meanings. His pom-pon with the hidden handle was patented in 1971. Herkimer created
the "Herkie" cheerleading jump by accident when he intended to perform a split jump.
Herkimer founded a national cheerleading magazine called Megaphone while at SMU. In
Herkimer's words, he's taken the world of cheerleading "from the raccoon coat and
pennant to greater heights".
Cheerleading’s roots are closely tied to American football’s. The first intercollegiate game
was played in 1869, between Princeton University and Rutgers University in New Jersey,
and by the 1880s, Princeton had formed an all-male pep club. A graduate of Princeton,
Thomas Peebles, took the Princeton cheers to the University of Minnesota, where football
and fight songs were becoming very popular. In 1898, U of M was on a losing streak, and a
medical student named Johnny Campbell assembled a group to energize the team and the
crowd. Johnny picked up a megaphone and rallied the team to victory with the first
organized cheer: “Rah, Rah, Rah! Ski-U-Mah! Hoo-Rah! Hoo-Rah! Varsity! Varsity! Minn-eso-tah!
Cheerleading grew from there. It wasn’t until 1923 that women were allowed to cheer for
the first time, at the University of Minnesota. During this decade, cheerleaders added
tumbling and acrobatics to their routines, and a University of Oregon cheerleader used
flashcards for the first time. Although women were joining teams in the ‘20s, it wasn’t until
the ‘40s that they joined in large numbers, since so many college-aged men went off to fight
in World War II.
In 1948, Southern Methodist University cheerleader Lawrence “Herkie” Herkimer held the
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first summer cheerleading clinic at Sam Houston State Teacher’s College (now State
University), and went on to develop his signature “Herkie” jump, the spirit stick and the
pom pon, all cheerleading staples to this day. In 1961, he incorporated the National
Cheerleaders Association (NCA).
By the 1960s, cheerleading could be found in virtually every high school and grade school
across the country, and pee wee and youth leagues had developed as well. In 1974, Jeff
Webb (who had been general manager of NCA) founded Universal Cheerleaders
Association (UCA), which taught higher level skills. The ‘80s decade brought the launch of
many more event companies, as well as AACCA (American Association of Cheerleading
Coaches and Administrators), in 1987, the first association devoted to teaching safety to
coaches and advisors. UCA has grown into Varsity Spirit Corp., today, encompassing 17
cheerleading event, apparel and service companies.
All Star cheerleading started in the late ‘80s, and grew rapidly through the ‘90s. All Star
cheerleading focused on athletic training and competition performances, as opposed to
school-based cheerleading, which still encompassed leadership and spirit qualities. Today,
many companies offer both scholastic and All Star categories, and some companies focus
primarily on All Star cheerleading.
The original purpose of cheerleading is still relevant in today’s world, even with the
increasing popularity of competition.
Cheerleaders are the promoters of their schools and communities. They are a key
marketing tool to the athletics programs that they support, and they create th e community
patriotism we call “school spirit.” Most importantly, they are tomorrow’s leaders who
through the development of athletic skills, leadership, and teamwork will be vital members
of the community in the future. Be a cheerleader and become a leader.
Judging
During a competition routine, a squad performs carefully choreographed stunting,
tumbling, jumping and dancing to their own custom music. Teams create their routines to
an eight-count system and apply that to the music so that the team members e xecute the
elements with precise timing and synchronization.
Judges at the competition watch closely for illegal moves from the group or any individual
member. Here, an illegal move is something that is not allowed in that division due to
difficulty and/or safety restrictions. They look out for deductions, or things that go wrong,
such as a dropped stunt. They also look for touch downs in tumbling for deductions. More
generally, judges look at the difficulty and execution of jumps, stunts and tumbling,
synchronization, creativity, the sharpness of the motions, showmanship, and overall
routine execution.
Professional
Professional cheerleaders and dancers cheer for sports such as football, basketball,
baseball, wrestling, or hockey. There are only a small handful of professional cheerleading
leagues around the world; some professional leagues include the NBA Cheerleading
League, the NFL Cheerleading League, the CFL Cheerleading League, the MLS Cheerleading
League, the MLB Cheerleading League, and the NHL Ice Dancers. Although professional
cheerleading leagues exist in multiple countries, there are no Olympic Teams.
In addition to cheering at games and competing, professional cheerleaders also, as teams,
can often do a lot of philanthropy and charity work, modeling, motivational speaking,
television performances, and advertising.
Cheerleading can be a dangerous sport. There is much contact in this sport as there is
lifting and tumbling.
Dangers of Cheerleading
The risks of cheerleading were highlighted when Kristi Yamaoka, a cheerleader for
Southern Illinois University, suffered a fractured vertebra when she hit her head after
falling from a human pyramid.[53] She also suffered from a concussion, and a bruised lung.
The fall occurred when Yamaoka lost her balance during a basketball game between
Southern Illinois University and Bradley University at the Savvis Center in St. Louis on
March 5, 2006. The fall gained "national attention", because Yamaoka continued to perform
from a stretcher as she was moved away from the game. Yamaoka has since made a full
recovery.
The accident caused the Missouri Valley Conference to ban its member schools from
allowing cheerleaders to be "launched or tossed and from taking part in formations higher
than two levels" for one week during a women's basketball conference tournament, and
also resulted in a recommendation by the NCAA that conferences and tournaments do not
allow pyramids two and one half levels high or higher, and a stunt known as basket tosses,
during the rest of the men's and women's basketball season. On July 11, 2006, the bans
were made permanent by the AACCA rules committee:
The committee unanimously voted for sweeping revisions to cheerleading safety rules, the
most major of which restricts specific upper-level skills during basketball games. Basket
tosses, 2 high pyramids, one-arm stunts, stunts that involve twisting or flipping, and
twisting tumbling skills may only be performed during halftime and post-game on a matted
surface and are prohibited during game play or time-outs.
Of the United States' 2.9 million female high school athletes, only 3% are cheerleaders, yet
cheerleading accounts for nearly 65% of all catastrophic injuries in girls' high school
athletics.[56] The NCAA does not recognize cheerleading as a collegiate sport; there are no
solid numbers on college cheerleading, yet when it comes to injuries, 67% of female athlete
injuries at the college level are due to cheerleading mishaps. Another study found that
between 1982 and 2007, there were 103 fatal, disabling or serious injuries recorded among
female high school athletes, with the vast majority occurring in cheerleading.
In the early 2000s, cheerleading was considered one of the most dangerous school
activities. The main source of injuries comes from stunting, also known as pyramids. These
stunts are performed at games and pep rallies, as well as competitions. Sometimes
competition routines are focused solely around the use of difficult and risky stunts. These
stunts usually include a flyer (the person on top), along with one or two bases (the people
on the bottom) and, one or two spotters in the front and back on the bottom. The most
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common cheerleading related injuries are: sprained ankles, sprained wrists, back injuries,
head injuries (sometimes concussions), broken arms, elbow injuries, knee injuries, broken
noses, and broken collarbones. Sometimes, however, injuries can be as serious as whiplash,
broken necks, broken vertebrae, and death.
The journal Pediatrics has reportedly said that the number of cheerleaders suffering from
broken bones, concussions, and sprains has increased by over 100 percent between the
years of 1990 and 2002, and that in 2001 there were 25,000 hospital visits reported for
cheerleading injuries dealing with the shoulder, ankle, head, and neck. Meanwhile, in the
USA, cheerleading accounted for 65.1% of all major physical injuries to high school females,
and to 66.7% of major injuries to college students due to physical activity from 1982 to
2007, with 22,900 minors being admitted to hospital with cheerleading-related injuries in
2002.
In October 2009, the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Advisors (AACCA),
a subsidiary of Varsity Brands, released a study that analyzed the data from Emergency
Room visits of all high school athletes. The study asserted that contrary to many
perceptions, cheerleading injuries are in line with female sports.
Cheerleading (for both girls and boys) was one of the sports studied in the Pediatric Injury
Prevention, Education and Research Program of the Colorado School of Public Health in
2009/10-2012/13. Data on cheerleading injuries is included in the report for 2012 -13.
Types of Cheerleading
The recent surge in the popularity of cheerleading makes it hard to fit all cheerleaders into
one simple category. The sport has changed and branched out in order to accommodate the
millions of participants worldwide. Many people outside of the sport assume that all
cheerleaders are school-affiliated, but that is not the case. The sport now ranges from
competitive cheerleading to the newest addition, street cheerleading.
Whether you are just starting the sport or looking to try something new, check out the info
on the different types of cheerleading below.
School-Sponsored
A school-sponsored cheerleading team is directly affiliated with a school, either public or
private, and all of the members on the team must attend that school. The main purpose of
this type of team is to promote school spirit and motivate fans during sporting events. Over
80% of high schools in the United States have cheerleading squads, and many junior high
schools are starting programs as well. Although some school-sponsored cheerleading
teams do compete, their main task is to cheer at games and pep rallies. These squads a re a
direct representation of the school, a responsibility reflected in their uniform and team
name.
There are a few downsides to being a part of a school-sponsored cheerleading team. Some
schools recognize cheerleading as a sport and, therefore, give the team funding.
Unfortunately, there is still a large number of schools that consider cheerleading a club, and
because of this, many teams do not get proper funding or recognition.
College/University
College level cheerleading is technically school-sponsored, but it is very different from
cheering at the junior high and high school levels. Not all colleges have cheer teams, but the
ones that do only accept the cream of the crop. College cheerleaders attend games, as well
as other school related functions, like fundraisers and community events.
In addition to cheering at games, most collegiate level cheer squads also compete. Like any
other sport, they want to bring home a title in the name of the school. At this level, the
competition is fierce because every cheerleader has been hand selected.
Many colleges have not one, but two cheerleading teams: a competitive squad and a non competitive squad; or both a coed and all-girl squad. Because there are so many
responsibilities for college level cheerleaders, it can take more than one team to properly
represent the school at games and competitions.
Youth
At the youth level, cheerleaders learn the basics of the sport, as well as sportsmanship and
team skills.
Youth cheerleading has grown in popularity due to the surge in participation at the junior
high and high school levels. Most youth cheerleading teams are affiliated with youth
football leagues and sometimes youth basketball leagues. They are contained at the
regional level, and although some teams compete, it is not the focus of the league.
Scholastics and education are very important at the youth league level and all participants
must keep a certain GPA to remain in the organization.
All-Star
All-Star cheerleading is the sport’s fastest growing group because it incorporates males,
females, and athletes of all ages and skill levels. This type of cheerleading is for those who
want to bypass sideline cheering and focus strictly on competition. It appeals to people
who love competing, but who don’t necessarily love being in front of their classmates.
All-Star cheerleading is more competitive and elite than school-sponsored cheerleading
and also requires a big time commitment. Training starts months before competition
season, and you might end up competing year round if you earn your way to nationals.
Professional
Professional cheerleaders cheer for a professional sports team (perhaps the Dallas
Cowboys Cheerleaders rings a bell). Professional cheerleading is very competitive and
making one of these teams is no easy task. Although professional teams don’t compete, they
are always striving to be the best in their league and/or division.
Some professional cheerleading squads do actually stunt and tumble, but a majority of
them do not. Most professional teams have morphed into dance teams, but because they
cheer on the sidelines they are still referred to as cheerleaders.
At this level, cheerleaders are expected to do a whole lot more than just cheer: They also
make appearances, do philanthropic and charity work, modeling and advertising. They are
in front of thousands of fans as well as millions of television viewers, so they must be the
best of the best.
Street Cheer
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Street cheer is the newest addition to the cheerleading family and it combines hip hop and
contemporary dance moves with chants and cheers. Although traditional cheerleading does
incorporate elements of dance, street cheer takes it to a whole new level.
This type of cheerleading is big in Europe, particularly in the United Kingdom. An official
street cheer team was created in 2008 as a branch of the UKCA and the first-ever Street
Cheer Nationals took place in October of 2009.
Health Benefits of Cheerleading
Just like those bright pompoms on the field, the benefits of cheerleading are easy to spot. If
your kids want to join a cheerleading squad, they’re on their way to good health and a good
mood. This aerobic activity is great for hearts, bones, and muscles. Plus, exercising with
others is motivating, and has proven, lasting psychological benefits.
It Builds Strong Bones
While many people argue that jumping hurts your knees and joints, science begs to differ.
“Jumping increases bone density, so you can actually prevent osteoarthritis by jumping,”
says Rachel DeBusk, CPT at Unstill Life. According to a study in the Journal of Athletic
Training, only 6 percent of cheerleaders were injured over a one -year period. To reduce
risk of injuries, which are most often sprains and strains in the lower extremities, make
sure you get some base strength around your joints, incorpor ate stretching, flexibility, and
regular exercise (outside of cheerleading practice).
Happiness Is Basically a Requirement
Cheerleaders are encouraged to smile even when the game isn't going their way, and that
might make them happier in general. “We smile because we are happy but smiling also
makes us happy,” says the University of Cardiff’s Dr. Michael Lewis. He conducted
a study that showed that people who couldn’t frown because of Botox injections reported
feeling less sad than the control group. So keep smiling — it could cheer you up.
Cheerleaders Might Get a Better Workout Than the Whole Team
A high school football game is in play for 48 minutes. Add timeouts and halftime, and the
game could easily go for an hour and a half. Cheerleaders are active th roughout that time.
“From core strength for stunting to powering every muscle in your body for tumbling,
cheerleaders are the strongest athletes around,” claims Danielle Wechsler, founder
of cheerFIT Training. She estimates that each cheer practice burns 600 calories.
It Beats Singing Alone in the Shower
You don’t have to pass a singing audition to become a cheerleader. Still, singing fight songs
with your cheer team can have emotional and brain benefits, and you don’t even have to be
good at it. That’s right, a study conducted at the University of Sheffield indicates that even if
you’re a bad singer, you can benefit emotionally, socially, and cognitively from singing with
a group.
Cheerleaders Are Leaders and Team Players
Cheerleading produces active, engaged citizens. According to a survey conducted by Varsity
Brands, a company that runs cheerleading camps and makes uniforms, cheerleaders were
more likely to hold a leadership position in their school or community. Cheerleaders work
together as a team across racial, social, and economic boundaries.
Using Your Voice Is Encouraged
We spend half of our lives telling our kids to use their “inside voices,” but the deep
breathing that supports a cheerleader’s yells is very good for you. Diaphragmatic
breathing (that is, inhaling and exhaling deeply) has a number of medical benefits including
reducing the negative effects of stress. So let those kids holler. When you send them off to
the big city for college, they may be able to handle the transition and the demands of
college more easily.
Cheerdancing in the Philippines
Cheerleading in the Philippines officially emerged in 1993 when the Cheerleading
Philippines Federation (CPF) was officially founded. The CPF is the “is the national
confederation of Cheerleading organizations. It is the national governing body of
Cheerleading and Cheer Dance in the country. Its primary activities are organized through
standing Commissions that are each responsible for some aspect of the sport's
development in the country. The CPF is mandated to sponsor and sanction cheerleading &
cheer dance competitions and a variety of national and international cheerleading
competitions, including the Cheerleading World Championships, the Asia Cup, the IFC
World Cup.”
However, it may be possible that cheerleading in the Philippines may have started way
before 1993. There may have been minor accounts of cheerleading in the Philippines
although no official accounts have been published regarding the subject matter.
Cheerleading in the Philippines has three major competitions. These three competitions are
the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Cheerdance
Competition, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Cheerleading
Competition and the National Cheerleading Championships (NCC).
The UAAP Cheerdance Competition, founded in 1994, is an annual one -day event of the
University Athletic Association of the Philippines for cheerleading, usually held at the
Araneta Coliseum. The participating schools of this competition are Adamson
University (AdU), Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), De La Salle University (DLSU), Far
Eastern University (FEU), National University (NU), University of the East (UE)
and University of the Philippines (UP).
The NCAA Cheerleading Competition, previously known as NCAA Cheerdance
Competition is an annual one-day event of the National Collegiate Athletic
Association for cheerleading, which was recently founded in 2004. The event was
sanctioned by Cheerleading Philippines Federation (CPF) and thus adopted the official
scoring criteria used in international cheerleading. The participating schools of this
competition areArellano University (AU), Colegio de San Juan de Letran (CSJL), De La Salle College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC), Jose Rizal
University (JRU), Mapua Institute of Technology (MIT), San Beda College (SBC), San
Sebastian College - Recoletos (SSC-R) and University of Perpetual Help System
Dalta (UPHSD).
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The National Cheerleading Chamionship (NCC) was recently founded in 2006. The
competition first started small, with 10 teams and divisions: high school and college. By
2008, 29 teams participated in the NCC, which featured squads from around the country;
thus making NCC the first and only true National Cheerleading Organization in the
Philippines. Just like the NCAA, the NCC uses the official scoring criteria used in
international cheerleading.
References and Supplementary Materials
Online Supplementary Reading Materials
History of Cheerleading Dance;
http://dancelessons.net/dancehistory/HistoryofCheerleadingDance.html; August 10,
2017
Cheerleading History; http://cheer.epicsports.com/cheerleading-history.html; August 10,
2017
Being a Cheerleader; https://www.varsity.com/event/1261/being-a-cheerleaderhistory; August 10, 2017
The Benefits of Cheerleading; http://www.healthline.com/health/benefitscheerleading#1; August 10, 2017
Types of Cheerleading; : http://cheerleading.isport.com/cheerleading-guides/types-ofcheerleading; August 10, 2017