in
History
—
Beyond Pom-Poms: The Surprising Male-Dominated Origins of Cheerleading
While modern cheerleading is seen as a female-dominated activity, it was started by a man. In 1898, student Johnny Campbell led the first organized cheer. For decades, it remained a prestigious male role, with future presidents like Eisenhower and Roosevelt participating on the sidelines.
When you picture a cheerleader, the image that likely comes to mind is a female athlete, pom-poms in hand, executing a high-flying acrobatic stunt. It’s an image cemented in our culture by decades of high school movies and professional sports. But this modern perception obscures a fascinating and surprising truth: for the first fifty years of its existence, cheerleading was an exclusively male domain, and one of considerable prestige.
The First Yell
The story begins not with a squad of athletes, but with a single, frustrated medical student. On November 2, 1898, the University of Minnesota's football team was having a rough season. During a particularly dire game against Northwestern University, student Johnny Campbell decided the crowd’s morale needed a serious boost. He jumped in front of the stands, picked up a megaphone, and led the audience in a rhythmic chant he’d devised:
Rah, Rah, Rah! Ski-u-mah, Hoo-Rah! Hoo-Rah! Varsity! Varsity! Varsity, Minn-e-So-Tah!
His impromptu performance was a hit. Campbell organized a six-person "yell leader" squad, and modern cheerleading was born. While Princeton and other universities had organized student cheering sections, Campbell is widely credited as the first-ever cheerleader, turning sideline support into an organized, led activity.
A Prestigious Male Pursuit
For the next several decades, cheerleading remained a man's world. Far from being an auxiliary activity, being a yell leader was a position of honor and leadership on campus, often held by the most prominent students. It was considered a powerful, masculine role, equivalent in status to being the star quarterback. According to historian Natalie Adams, cheerleaders were "the biggest men on campus."
This era saw a number of future leaders donning sweaters and leading crowds. Future U.S. Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and George W. Bush were all cheerleaders in their college days. They were joined by other notable figures like actor Jimmy Stewart and industrialist Aaron Spelling, underscoring the high regard in which the position was held.
The Great Shift: War and a Changing Sideline
The turning point came in the 1940s. As American men left college campuses to fight in World War II, women began to fill the roles they left behind, including on the cheerleading squad. What started as a temporary measure became a permanent shift. By the 1950s, women dominated cheerleading rosters.
As the gender demographics changed, so did the activity itself. The focus shifted from leading yells to incorporating gymnastics, dance, and acrobatics. The establishment of organizations like the National Cheerleaders Association in 1948 by Lawrence "Herkie" Herkimer helped standardize and popularize these more athletic components. By the 1970s, the rise of professional squads like the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders further cemented the image of the cheerleader as a glamorous, female performer, a far cry from Johnny Campbell and his megaphone.
Modern Cheer: A Return to Co-ed Roots
Today, cheerleading has evolved into a highly competitive and demanding sport. All-Star and collegiate cheerleading feature complex stunts and tumbling that require immense strength, skill, and trust from male and female athletes alike. In a way, the sport has come full circle, once again showcasing the power and athleticism of men on the team—not just as yell leaders, but as integral bases and tumblers. The history of cheerleading serves as a powerful reminder of how cultural norms, and even the gendered perception of a sport, can dramatically shift over time.