Cheerleading Around the World
This summer, the International Olympic Committee finally gave full recognition to cheerleading, after more than 12 long years of hard work by the International Cheer Union. Cheerleading is expected to make its Olympic debut in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. It seems rather fitting that the Olympic debut of cheerleading will take place in the U.S., the home of the sport. (1)
“It provides a level of respect. This is something that cheerleaders have kind of had a little chip on their shoulder for years with ya know we are very athletic, but we don’t get any respect and what this does it’s affirmation at the highest level.” Jeff Webb, President of the International Cheerleading Union. (1)
We couldn’t agree more with Jeff Webb. Cheerleading is an incredibly demanding sport physically and mentally.And while we will be Team USA all the way, we can’t help but wonder what cheerleading looks like around the world. So, we decided to take a look at what’s out there, and here’s what we’ve found so far. We can’t wait to see how it evolves by 2028.
Cheerleading in Japan
Let’s start with the hosts of 2021’s Olympics, Japan. Cheerleading seems to have come to prominence around the mid-1980’s. Like American cheerleading, cheerleading is quite athletic in nature. Cheerleading is available in Japan at junior high, high school, collegiate, club cheerleading and all-star level. (4). Teams may be all female, or co-ed. Interestingly, club cheerleading among senior citizens seems to be gaining popularity as well!
There are three cheerleading organizations in Japan, but our focus is on the Japan Federation for Sport Cheer and Dance (Cheer Japan), as it’s recognized by both the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International Cheer Union (ICU). (3)
Competition guidelines in Japan - Competition routines are on a 12 meter mat, and the entire surface can be used. Each team performs a 2 minute, 30 second routine, during which 1 minute 30 seconds of this routine may contain music (3). Each routine consists of sideline cheers, pyramids, stunts, and gymnastics. There is a separate division for group stunt division; here a group of five cheerleaders perform 60-65 second routines of strictly stunts.
Enjoy these videos of competitions in Japan. I’ve included a traditional competition and a senior citizen competition as well. We hope to be cheering into our senior years as well!
(DAY 2) Team Japan Mixed - Cheerleading World Championship 2019
Japanese Senior Cheerleading Squad
Cheerleading in Canada
We would be remiss if we didn’t talk about cheerleading in Canada. Our northern neighbors have had a national cheer team since 2009, when Canada competed for the first time as a national team at the International Cheer Union World Cheer Championships. (5)
Canada is best known for all-star cheerleading, but also has middle school, high school, and collegiate competitions. Canada follows guidance USASF, but there are several cheer organizations within Canada, each with their own guidelines and scoresheets. (5)
Enjoy a clip from our northern neighbors. I expect that we will be hearing a lot about Canada cheer teams in the years to come.
TEAM CANADA COED PREMIER MULTICAM - ICU 2019 FINALS
Cheerleading in Finland
Cheerleading is gaining attention and popularity as a sport in several European countries like Norway, Finland, Germany, and the U.K, but we are going to take a look at the “Flying Finns”. Their tough team of all-female competitors beat the U.S. at our own sport in 2018, and made it look so easy. Cheerleading seems to have originated in Finland circa 1979.
There are different levels in Finland as well; all-star, junior high, high school, and collegiate. Differing organizations have different rules for competition, although their national team still follows the rules set by the International Cheer Union. What makes athletes in Finland consider cheerleading, a sport still fairly new in terms of stature and popularity? According to top cheerleader Rosanna Toivonen, “Nothing grabbed me like cheerleading. When I started at age 11, I always felt I could learn more and get better at every practice - tumbling, stunts, baskets, cheer. And I'm still learning 15 years later. It's my passion, it's something I love to do, and it has given me so much - titles, friends, everything.” (2). Rosanna, we sooo feel you!
Check out Team Finland as they compete in 2018 - the year they took gold in the World Championships.
TEAM FINLAND ALL GIRL 2018 || WORLD CHAMPIONS
Cheerleading in the U.S.A
Last, but certainly not least, is cheerleading in the U.S.A. Although the U.S. is widely considered the home of cheerleading, it actually originated in Great Britain in the 1860’s, before entering the U.S. in the 1880’s as a school led crowd chant at a Princeton University football game. A decade later, a Princeton University grad Thomas Peebles introduced the pep club led chanting to the University of Minnesota. On November 2, 1898, Johnny Campbell led the first organized cheer at a football game between Minnesota and Princeton University. (4)
The rest, as they say, is history. Cheerleading was actually a male sport in the beginning, with women entering cheerleading in the 1920’s. (4). By the 1940’s cheerleader’s were primarily women, and in 1948 the National Cheerleaders Association was founded, and began holding workshops.(4)
Since then, the U.S. has led the field. Cheerleading is in all age groups, education levels, club cheer, all-star cheer, and collegiate cheer. We’ve gone from a male dominated field, to a female dominated field, to co-ed teams. We’ve gone from being an accessory to sports to being the sport itself, and the Olympics 2028 seems to be our next big adventure.
TEAM USA All Girl Premier | 2018 ICU World Cheerleading Championships FINALS
Check out the links below to see our own Michigan Cheer Company in action.
Michigan Cheer Company: Level 3 - Small - Senior: Love - NCA 2020 - Day 1
Douglas, Patsy. "Cheerleading Recognized as an Olymipic Sport.", 7/26/21, 7/26/21.
Jiwani, Rory. "How Finland Became a Cheerleading Powerhouse.", April 23, 2019.
wikipedia contributors. "Cheerleading in Japan.".
©2021 Epic Sports, Inc. "Cheerleading History.", 2021.
wikipedia contributors https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheerleading
Written by Leigh Miller Agency