Trying 100 Years of Cheerleading!

Overview

Cheerleading’s story is traced from the late 1800s to modern all-star/high-level stunts, showing how the sport evolved in style, rules, and athletic difficulty.

Origin and Early Development

• Origin (1898): The video claims cheerleading began in a recognizable way when Johnny Campbell (attending the University of Minnesota) hopped a fence to get attention during a game—kicking off early crowd-spirit traditions.
• Early squads (1900): The first cheer team at Minnesota is described as a “yell squad” of six men, emphasizing that early cheerleading was male-dominated.

Shift Toward Women

• 1920s–WWII: Women enter cheerleading more prominently in the 1920s.
• After World War II: Cheerleading becomes overwhelmingly female (described as ~85% female today).

Crowd-Engagement Evolution

• Early cheerleading relies more on signs and megaphones to intensify audience engagement—presented as “loud and coordinated” compared to later eras where technique and stunts dominate.

Key Innovators and Formalization

• Lawrence Herkimer (1949 onward):
  • Credited with inventing signature elements: the Herky jump, spirit stick, and pom-poms.
• National Cheerleading Association (by 1961):
  • By 1961, after returning/being featured again, he’s linked to forming the National Cheerleading Association, helping formalize the sport through jumps, tumbling, and stunts.

1960s: Stunts, Vocabulary, and Pyramids

• The video demonstrates early stunt vocabulary such as:
  • thigh stands
  • shoulder sits
  • toe touches
• Pyramids are described as lower and more basic, with teamwork implied through on-screen “need a top flyer” coordination cues.

1970s: Faster Athletic Growth

• Rule and participation shift: Shorter uniforms and freer movement appear alongside a rule change allowing women into competitive sports—making cheerleading more athletic.
• Tumbling advances: Skills such as back handsprings and back tucks expand, along with more evolved jumps (including an “upgraded” spread eagle).
• Pyramids evolve: Structures shift from low formations to connected setups with more airborne formations.

1980s: Complexity and Athletic Recognition

Cheerleading develops into more complex tumbling combinations and increasingly difficult sequences, with the narrator emphasizing the rising level of athleticism.

Television Era (Late 70s / Early 80s)

• Once cheerleading becomes televised, skills spread faster.
• Traditional cheers become less central as teams focus more on tricks and technique.

All-Star Era

• All-star cheerleading is described as competitive—teams compete at events against each other rather than only supporting school games.
• The narrator stresses how demanding it is.

2000s: Modern Athletic Peak

• Equipment innovation: New gear like the “infinity cheer sneaker” is credited with enabling more advanced stunts (lightweight, flexible, with finger grips).
• Elite skill attempts: The video includes attempts at high-level skills, including:
  • a re back foot buff attempt, then hand-to-hand pop-through
  • basket toss + flips
  • quicker progression into advanced pyramids (including a “one-to-one” concept)

Why It Matters (Theme of the Ending)

The video reframes cheerleading’s evolution around:

• teamwork
• communication
• trust
• lifelong friendships

The pyramid is presented as the clearest example of this teamwork.

Jokes / Highlights

• The narrator includes comedic reactions during demonstrations (struggling with older clothing, exclaiming “oh my God,” and commenting “that won’t happen again” after a stunt attempt).
• Repeated emphasis on “go team/go” energy and crowd-chant style, contrasted with how trick-focused cheer becomes later.
• Playful lines about needing teammates to help with flyers, plus quips about catching partners during tosses.

Main Personalities Mentioned (From Subtitles)

• Johnny Campbell
• Lawrence Herkimer
• Drew
• Natalia