The Oak Ridge High School cheerleaders for the 2013-2014 school year, pictured above, will have a pre-camp exhibition performance at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Wildcat Arena. (Submitted photo)
Community invited to pre-camp performance this Friday
Traditional cheerleading began at the University of Minnesota in 1898, when male cheerleaders encouraged students to show their spirit at athletic events.
This model continued exclusively until the early 1990s, when all-star competitive gyms formed to highlight the athleticism of the cheerleader. Combining tumbling, stunting, and dancing, non-school teams began competing at the regional and national level, drawing more and more girls to the fast growing sport.
At Oak Ridge High School, cheerleaders were maintaining the traditional role, but found they were losing students to the competitive nature of the all-star gym. [Read more…]
