In these modern times sporting events are often spectacular. The supporters are hyped and they wear the colours of their team. Souvenirs, food and drink are all available everywhere. And, of course, there are cheerleaders. Each team has its own squad of cheerleaders and the competition between these squads is often as fierce as the competition between the sports teams themselves. Cheerleading squads are found everywhere, from Morganville NJ to Buffalo NY.
Cheerleaders are mostly associated with sporting event but the tradition of cheering is ancient. The Old Testament describes battles where special groups of soldiers were tasked to bang their cymbals, blow their trumpets and display their flags, all in aid of cheering on their armies and to motivate them to try even harder. This tradition of using cheerleaders during battle persisted for hundreds of years.
In modern times, the first occasion of organised cheer leading was recorded at Princeton University in 1877. A small squad of male students taught the spectators of football matches a cheer and directed them towards chanting the cheer over and over again in support of their team. To this day Princeton use that original cheer. In America, the practice took hold at the University of Minnesota in 1884, when an old Princeton student introduced it there.
It was only in 1923, also at the University of Minnesota, that females entered the picture of cheerleaders. However, the idea of using females did not become popular until the nineteen forties. Being a cheerleader quickly became a popular ambition for girls of all ages and by the early nineteen sixties cheerleaders were almost exclusively a female activity. By the mid seventies there were more than half a million active cheerleaders in the USA.
Over time, the purpose of cheer leading has not changed much. The task of the cheerleaders were, and is, to get the spectators worked up, to motivate them to cheer for their teams and to motivate the sports teams to perform at their very best. In time, cheerleaders started to play a more prominent role in providing entertainment for spectators before and during matches.
Cheer leading has become immensely popular. Being part of the squad is an automatic ticket to social acceptance and popularity. Competition is fierce and there are now even tournaments for cheerleader squads. In fact, cheer leading is no longer just a supporting act to sports events. It has become a sport in itself. To succeed in this sport requires a very high level of dedication.
Cheerleaders have many critics. They say its modern form is exploitative and sexist. They also point out that cheer leading has proved to produce the highest rate of serious injuries in any sport. Participants need to be extremely fit and fierce competition lead to the development of ever increasing dangerous stunts. Critics are calling for a review of the rules governing this activity in order to increase safety.
Regardless of the risks involved, most girls still dream of being a cheer leader. A place in the squad is considered prestigious. Supporters of cheer leading point out that it is a healthy and wholesome activity that requires strict discipline and a high level of dedication.
Cheerleaders are mostly associated with sporting event but the tradition of cheering is ancient. The Old Testament describes battles where special groups of soldiers were tasked to bang their cymbals, blow their trumpets and display their flags, all in aid of cheering on their armies and to motivate them to try even harder. This tradition of using cheerleaders during battle persisted for hundreds of years.
In modern times, the first occasion of organised cheer leading was recorded at Princeton University in 1877. A small squad of male students taught the spectators of football matches a cheer and directed them towards chanting the cheer over and over again in support of their team. To this day Princeton use that original cheer. In America, the practice took hold at the University of Minnesota in 1884, when an old Princeton student introduced it there.
It was only in 1923, also at the University of Minnesota, that females entered the picture of cheerleaders. However, the idea of using females did not become popular until the nineteen forties. Being a cheerleader quickly became a popular ambition for girls of all ages and by the early nineteen sixties cheerleaders were almost exclusively a female activity. By the mid seventies there were more than half a million active cheerleaders in the USA.
Over time, the purpose of cheer leading has not changed much. The task of the cheerleaders were, and is, to get the spectators worked up, to motivate them to cheer for their teams and to motivate the sports teams to perform at their very best. In time, cheerleaders started to play a more prominent role in providing entertainment for spectators before and during matches.
Cheer leading has become immensely popular. Being part of the squad is an automatic ticket to social acceptance and popularity. Competition is fierce and there are now even tournaments for cheerleader squads. In fact, cheer leading is no longer just a supporting act to sports events. It has become a sport in itself. To succeed in this sport requires a very high level of dedication.
Cheerleaders have many critics. They say its modern form is exploitative and sexist. They also point out that cheer leading has proved to produce the highest rate of serious injuries in any sport. Participants need to be extremely fit and fierce competition lead to the development of ever increasing dangerous stunts. Critics are calling for a review of the rules governing this activity in order to increase safety.
Regardless of the risks involved, most girls still dream of being a cheer leader. A place in the squad is considered prestigious. Supporters of cheer leading point out that it is a healthy and wholesome activity that requires strict discipline and a high level of dedication.
About the Author:
The NJ premier gymnastics offers cheerleading classes to all the local girls. To take part today, visit this website now at http://NJPremierGymnastics.com.
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