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108-479: The term may refer to large tufts used by cheerleaders , or a small, tighter ball attached to the top of a hat, also known as a bobble or toorie . Pom-poms may come in many colours, sizes, and varieties and are made from a wide array of materials, including wool , cotton , paper , plastic , thread , glitter and occasionally feathers . Pom-poms are shaken by cheerleaders , pom or dance teams , and sports fans during spectator sports . Pom-pom , also called

216-457: A pom or cheerleading pom , is derived from the French word pompon , which refers to a small decorative ball made of fabric or feathers. It also means an "ornamental round tuft" and originally refers to its use on a hat, or an "ornamental tuft; tuft-like flower head." Cheerleading innovator Lawrence Herkimer received a patent for the pom-pom and his original patent application, for which he called

324-468: A "carry-over" bracket system in order to finish a tournament within the standard time restrictions of a few days. In said tournament, a wrestler will advance into the consolation bracket only if the winning opponent successfully advances into the finals. In the first few rounds of the tournament, a single-elimination-type method is implemented. For example, if a wrestler goes to a 64-person tournament, he or she must win at least one match before losing. Upon

432-489: A 2-inch-wide (51 mm) line, which is in bounds as of the 2023-2024 scholastic season. Wrestlers are within bounds when a minimum of two supporting points, which includes the weight-bearing points of the body, such as the feet, hands, knees, or buttocks of one or both wrestlers are inside this boundary line. The mat can be no thicker than four inches nor thinner than a mat which has the shock-absorbing qualities of at least 1-inch (2.5 cm) PVC vinyl-covered foam. Inside

540-576: A better siphoning process for large-scale tournaments by allowing only the best wrestlers to advance and giving the best of the losing opponents a chance to place in the tournament as well. However, many complain about the carry-over system, as it doesn't allow for those unseeded a fair opportunity in the tournament. Each state or geographic area features two or three elite tournaments every year. These events are by invitation only and are called "Invitationals". Tournament sponsors (which are usually high schools, though sometimes colleges and universities) invite

648-712: A certain class if they are within the allowance of making the weight limit for that class. All of this is done in order to protect the wrestler's health. NWCA official weight classes as of 2014-15 are: 106, 113, 120, 126, 132, 138, 145, 152, 160, 170, 182, 195, 220, and 285. The high school wrestling season customarily runs from October or November to March. Regular season competition begins in late October or early November and continues until February. Post-season competition usually continues from February to March depending on whether individual wrestlers or teams qualify for regional, sectional, or state championships. Wrestling teams from two different high schools normally compete in what

756-417: A competition routine and not on leading cheers for other sports teams. All-star cheerleaders are members of a privately owned gym or club which they typically pay dues or tuition to, similar to a gymnastics gym. During the early 1980s, cheerleading squads not associated with a school or sports league, whose main objective was competition, began to emerge. The first organization to call themselves all-stars were

864-513: A day sometimes. The school spirit aspect of cheerleading involves cheering, supporting, and "hyping up" the crowd at football games, basketball games, and even at wrestling meets. Along with this, cheerleaders usually perform at pep rallies, and bring school spirit to other students. In May 2009, the National Federation of State High School Associations released the results of their first true high school participation study. They estimated that

972-421: A defined weight control plan that prohibits excessive weight loss and dehydration during the season. The plan would prohibit dropping below seven percent body fat for males and 12 percent body fat for females in order to reach a lower weight class. These weight control plan includes provisions for weight assessment by the school's athletics medical staff, and certification of the lowest allowable weight class with

1080-545: A dual meet, both the junior varsity and varsity squads from the two schools compete against each other. The format of competition is as follows: High schools in the United States often compete in a tournament, which allows many schools to establish their rankings, not only for individual wrestlers and high school teams as a whole. Tournaments are often sponsored by a high school or a state high school association and are held on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or over any two days during

1188-463: A form of encouragement. It can range from chanting slogans to intense physical activity . It can be performed to motivate sports teams, to entertain the audience, or for competition. Cheerleading routines typically range anywhere from one to three minutes, and contain components of tumbling , dance , jumps , cheers , and stunting . Cheerleading originated in the United States , where it has become

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1296-463: A growing number of high school wrestlers being recruited and entering collegiate-level competition. Girls' scholastic wrestling has a less definitive history. It began in the 1970s when girls sporadically began joining boys' wrestling teams. In the 1990, girls-only high school wrestling programs began being established. Notable early women scholastic wrestlers include Tricia Saunders , the first female National Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee. In 1993,

1404-501: A high school team. The Mississippi Wrestling Foundation began supporting the creation of more high school wrestling programs in the 2020s. Mississippi has around 18 high school wrestling teams as of 2022, and began hosting a state championship tournament that year. Scholastic wrestling is regulated by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). Each state high school association has adopted its wrestling rules, with each making some modifications. Every high school

1512-439: A matted surface and are prohibited during game play or time-outs. Most American elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, and colleges have organized cheerleading squads. Some colleges even offer cheerleading scholarships for students. A school cheerleading team may compete locally, regionally, or nationally, but their main purpose is typically to cheer for sporting events and encourage audience participation. Cheerleading

1620-473: A modified set of rules from high school squads with possible additional rules. Squads can cheer for basketball teams, football teams, and other sports teams in their school. Squads may also perform at pep rallies and compete against other local schools from the area. Cheerleading in middle school sometimes can be a two-season activity: fall and winter. However, many middle school cheer squads will go year-round like high school squads. Middle school cheerleaders use

1728-415: A nationally recognized safety-training program. Even with its athletic and competitive development, cheerleading at the school level has retained its ties to its spirit leading traditions. Cheerleaders are quite often seen as ambassadors for their schools, and leaders among the student body. At the college level, cheerleaders are often invited to help at university fundraisers and events. Debuting in 2003,

1836-481: A new perspective on American cheerleading. Women were exclusively chosen for dancing ability as well as to conform to the male gaze , as heterosexual men were the targeted marketing group. By the 1960s, college cheerleaders employed by the NCA were hosting workshops across the nation, teaching fundamental cheer skills to tens of thousands of high-school-age girls. Herkimer also contributed many notable firsts to cheerleading:

1944-417: A period when the wrestlers go off the mat, depending on the referee's judgment as to whether any or which wrestler had the advantage. The use of the optional starting position was greatly reduced by a 2007-08 rule change, which allows the offensive wrestler to choose to start from a neutral position, yielding one point for an escape to the defensive wrestler. The offensive wrestler must signal this intention to

2052-444: A professional choreographer that choreographs their routine in order to ensure they are not breaking rules or regulations and to give the squad creative elements. Most American universities have a cheerleading squad to cheer for football, basketball, volleyball, wrestling, and soccer. Most college squads tend to be larger coed teams, although in recent years; all-girl squads and smaller college squads have increased rapidly. Cheerleading

2160-761: A recommendation by the NCAA that conferences and tournaments do not allow pyramids two and one half levels high or higher, and a stunt known as basket tosses, during the rest of the men's and women's basketball season. On July 11, 2006, the bans were made permanent by the AACCA rules committee: The committee unanimously voted for sweeping revisions to cheerleading safety rules, the most major of which restricts specific upper-level skills during basketball games. Basket tosses, 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 high pyramids, one-arm stunts, stunts that involve twisting or flipping, and twisting tumbling skills may be performed only during halftime and post-game on

2268-411: A shot or completing a throw. The first period in high school varsity wrestling matches is two minutes long. If the match is not ended by a fall, technical fall, default, or disqualification, the referee then prepares both wrestlers to begin the second period. After the first period ends, one wrestler will have the choice of starting position in the second period. In dual meets, this is determined by

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2376-586: A sport by the IOC, and in the future, depending on negotiations and international popularization, it could become part of the Olympic Games . Scientific studies of cheerleading show that it carries the highest rate of catastrophic injuries to female athletes in sports, with most injuries associated with stunting , also known as pyramids. One 2011 study of American female athletes showed that cheerleading resulted in 65% of all catastrophic injuries in female sports. In

2484-606: A standard set of rules and judging criteria to be followed by all competitions sanctioned by the Federation. Eager to grow the sport and create more opportunities for high-level teams, The USASF hosted the first Cheerleading Worlds on April 24, 2004. At the same time, cheerleading coaches from all over the country organized themselves for the same rule making purpose, calling themselves the National All Star Cheerleading Coaches Congress (NACCC). In 2005,

2592-423: A starting line inside the inner circle that is three feet long. Two one-inch lines close the ends of the starting lines and are marked red for the wrestler from the visiting team and green for the wrestler from the home team. The two starting lines are 12 inches (30 cm) from outside to outside and form a rectangle in the middle of the wrestling area. This rectangle designates the starting positions for

2700-410: A thick rubber mat that is shock-absorbing to ensure safety. A large outer circle at least 28 feet in diameter that designates the wrestling area is marked on the mat. The circumference line of that circle is called the boundary line. The wrestling area is surrounded by a safety mat area (or protection area) that is at least five feet in width. The mat area is designated by the use of contrasting colors or

2808-497: A tradition. It is less prevalent in the rest of the world, except via its association with American sports or organized cheerleading contests. Modern cheerleading is very closely associated with American football and basketball . Sports such as association football (soccer), ice hockey , volleyball , baseball , and wrestling will sometimes sponsor cheerleading squads. The ICC Twenty20 Cricket World Cup in South Africa in 2007

2916-456: A varsity level, they can no longer compete in a junior or middle school level in that sport. Arkansas , the 49th state to sanction high school wrestling, began scholastic wrestling competition in the 2008–09 season with over forty schools participating. Shortly after, Ocean Springs High School became the first school in Mississippi , the 50th state to sanction high school wrestling, to field

3024-456: A wrestler is suspected by a referee or coach of having a communicable skin disease, the wrestler can either be disqualified or provide written documentation from a physician that the skin disease is not communicable. If a meet physician is on-site, his or her judgment would overrule such documentation. Dual meets often feature one or two pound allowances, but in order to qualify for a league championship, wrestlers are required to weigh in without

3132-588: A year. These competitions include locals or regionals, which normally take place in school gymnasiums or local venues, nationals, hosted in large venues all around the U.S., and the Cheerleading Worlds, which takes place at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida . During a competition routine, a squad performs carefully choreographed stunting, tumbling, jumping, and dancing to their own custom music. Teams create their routines to an eight-count system and apply that to

3240-411: Is a great way to get younger children introduced to the sport and used to being crowd leaders. Also, with young children learning so much so quickly, tumbling can come very easy to a child in elementary school. Middle school cheerleading evolved shortly after high school squads were created and is set at the district level. In middle school, cheerleading squads serve the same purpose, but often follow

3348-410: Is expected to practice wrestling at two levels, varsity and junior varsity , although wrestling at the freshmen (ninth grade) level is becoming more widespread. The NFHS generally sets the standard for weight classes for high school-level dual meets, multiple duals, and tournaments. In most states, high school wrestlers can compete at 14 different weight classes, ranging from 106 lb (48 kg) to

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3456-455: Is in control. When the referee is certain that both wrestlers are correctly in the neutral position, he blows the whistle to begin the first period (as well as whenever wrestling is resumed, such as at the beginning of the second and third periods, when contestants resume wrestling after going out of bounds, etc.). The match commences with each wrestler attempting to take down his opponent. There are various ways to accomplish this, such as taking

3564-537: Is known as a "dual meet". It is possible for there also to be a "multiple dual", where more than two wrestling teams compete against each other at the same event on the same day. For example, one high school wrestling team may face another wrestling team for the first dual, and then a third wrestling team for the second dual. Also, those two wrestling teams may compete against each other in a dual meet as well. High schools often compete in regional, city-, or county-wide leagues. Dual meets usually take place on evenings during

3672-588: Is not recognized by NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA as athletics; therefore, there are few to no scholarships offered to athletes wanting to pursue cheerleading at the collegiate level. However, some community colleges and universities offer scholarships directly from the program or sponsorship funds. Some colleges offer scholarships for an athlete's talents, academic excellence, and/or involvement in community events. College squads perform more difficult stunts which include multi-level pyramids, as well as flipping and twisting basket tosses. Not only do college cheerleaders cheer on

3780-565: Is now referred to as the "Locomotive". Princeton class of 1882 graduate Thomas Peebles moved to Minnesota in 1884. He transplanted the idea of organized crowds cheering at football games to the University of Minnesota . The term "Cheer Leader" had been used as early as 1897, with Princeton's football officials having named three students as Cheer Leaders: Thomas, Easton, and Guerin from Princeton's classes of 1897, 1898, and 1899, respectively, on October 26, 1897. These students would cheer for

3888-534: Is quickly becoming a year-round activity, starting with tryouts during the spring semester of the preceding school year. Teams may attend organized summer cheerleading camps and practices to improve skills and create routines for competition. In addition to supporting their schools' football or other sports teams, student cheerleaders may compete with recreational-style routine at competitions year-round. In far more recent years, it has become more common for elementary schools to have an organized cheerleading team. This

3996-434: Is seen as another national title for most schools. Organizations that sponsor youth cheer teams usually sponsor either youth league football or basketball teams as well. This allows for the two, under the same sponsor, to be intermingled. Both teams have the same mascot name and the cheerleaders will perform at their football or basketball games. Examples of such sponsors include Pop Warner , American Youth Football , and

4104-476: Is the official birth date of organized cheerleading. Soon after, the University of Minnesota organized a "yell leader" squad of six male students, who still use Campbell's original cheer today. In 1903, the first cheerleading fraternity , Gamma Sigma, was founded. In 1923, at the University of Minnesota , women were permitted to participate in cheerleading. However, it took time for other schools to follow. In

4212-496: Is used for any such hat decoration in the Scots language , irrespective of the headgear. Pom-poms are sometimes used as children's toys. They are a common feature at the ends of the handlebars of children's tricycles and bicycles . They are also used in children's artistic crafts to add texture and color. Cheerleading Cheerleading is an activity in which the participants (called cheerleaders ) cheer for their team as

4320-485: The National Cheerleading Association to help grow the activity and provide cheerleading education to schools around the country. During the 1950s, female participation in cheerleading continued to grow. An overview written on behalf of cheerleading in 1955 explained that in larger schools, "occasionally boys as well as girls are included", and in smaller schools, "boys can usually find their place in

4428-530: The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) standardized collegiate wrestling rules, which were all or partly adopted on the high school level by state athletic associations. The standardization of NCAA rules also inspired colleges, universities, and junior colleges to expand their dual meets and tournaments, including developing organized wrestling programs and expanding existing ones. There were two breaks in wrestling programs in

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4536-629: The Savvis Center in St. Louis on March 5, 2006. The fall gained "national attention", because Yamaoka continued to perform from a stretcher as she was moved away from the game. The accident caused the Missouri Valley Conference to ban its member schools from allowing cheerleaders to be "launched or tossed and from taking part in formations higher than two levels" for one week during a women's basketball conference tournament, and also resulted in

4644-465: The YMCA . The purpose of these squads is primarily to support their associated football or basketball players, but some teams do compete at local or regional competitions. The Pop Warner Association even hosts a national championship each December for teams in their program who qualify. "All-star" or club cheerleading differs from school or sideline cheerleading because all-star teams focus solely on performing

4752-600: The "Marlin Mermaids" gained national exposure, and have influenced other MLB teams to develop their own cheer/dance squads. As of 2005, overall statistics show around 97% of all modern cheerleading participants are female, although at the collegiate level, cheerleading is co-ed with about 50% of participants being male. Modern male cheerleaders' stunts focus less on flexibility and more on tumbling, flips, pikes, and handstands. These depend on strong legs and strong core strength. In 2019, Napoleon Jinnies and Quinton Peron became

4860-400: The 1860s, students from Great Britain began to cheer and chant in unison for their favorite athletes at sporting events. Soon, that gesture of support crossed overseas to America. On November 6, 1869, the United States witnessed its first intercollegiate football game. It took place between Princeton University and Rutgers University , and marked the day the original "Sis Boom Rah!" cheer

4968-586: The 1970s established cheerleaders as "American icons of wholesome sex appeal ." In 1975, Randy Neil estimated that over 500,000 students actively participated in American cheerleading from elementary school to the collegiate level. Neil also approximated that ninety-five percent of cheerleaders within America were female. In 1978, America was introduced to competitive cheerleading by the first broadcast of Collegiate Cheerleading Championships on CBS . The 1980s saw

5076-429: The 20th century, during World War I and World War II . But at the high school level especially during the 1930s and 1940s, wrestling programs and championships grew rapidly as state-based high school athletic bodies embraced the sport. As high school wrestling continued to grow in the 1940s and later decades, various collegiate athletic conferences also increased the number and quality of their wrestling programs, with

5184-626: The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Advisors (AACCA), founded in 1987, started applying universal safety standards to decrease the number of injuries and prevent dangerous stunts, pyramids, and tumbling passes from being included in the cheerleading routines. In 2003, the National Council for Spirit Safety and Education (NCSSE) was formed to offer safety training for youth, school, all-star, and college coaches. The NCAA now requires college cheer coaches to successfully complete

5292-637: The NACCC was absorbed by the USASF to become their rule making body. In late 2006, the USASF facilitated the creation of the International All-Star Federation (IASF), which now governs club cheerleading worldwide. As of 2020 , all-star cheerleading, as sanctioned by the USASF, involves a squad of 5–36 females and males. All-star cheerleaders are placed into divisions, which are grouped based upon age, size of

5400-634: The Q94 Rockers from Richmond, Virginia , founded in 1982. All-star teams competing prior to 1987 were placed into the same divisions as teams that represented schools and sports leagues. In 1986, the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) addressed this situation by creating a separate division for teams lacking a sponsoring school or athletic association, calling it the All-Star Division and debuting it at their 1987 competitions. As

5508-415: The U.S. continue to host annual wrestling championships for individuals and for teams. At one time, there could be no middle school wrestlers participating at the high school level. But as of 2016, middle school wrestlers now can also compete at the high school level if allowed through procedures set out by their respective state associations. As in all scholastic sports, after a middle schooler participates at

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5616-515: The United Kingdom. However, the sport does not have the international popularity of other American sports, such as baseball or basketball , despite efforts being made to popularize the sport at an international level. In 2016, the IOC ( International Olympic Committee ) recognized the ICU (International Cheer Union) as part of the sports federations; in practice this means that the modality is considered

5724-631: The World Cheerleading Association, or WCA). Organized cheerleading competitions began to pop up with the first ranking of the "Top Ten College Cheerleading Squads" and "Cheerleader All America" awards given out by the ICF in 1967. The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders soon gained the spotlight with their revealing outfits and sophisticated dance moves, debuting in the 1972–1973 season, but were first widely seen in Super Bowl X (1976). These pro squads of

5832-532: The athletic program, and cheerleading is likely to remain solely a feminine occupation". Cheerleading could be found at almost every school level across the country; even pee wee and youth leagues began to appear. In the 1950s, professional cheerleading also began. The first recorded cheer squad in National Football League (NFL) history was for the Baltimore Colts . Professional cheerleaders put

5940-800: The beginning of modern cheerleading, adding difficult stunt sequences and gymnastics into routines. All-star teams, or those not affiliated with a school, popped up, and eventually led to the creation of the U.S. All Star Federation (USASF). ESPN first broadcast the National High School Cheerleading Competition nationwide in 1983. By 1981, a total of seventeen Nation Football League teams had their own cheerleaders. The only teams without NFL cheerleaders at this time were New Orleans, New York, Detroit, Cleveland, Denver, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, and San Diego. Professional cheerleading eventually spread to soccer and basketball teams as well. Cheerleading organizations such as

6048-430: The beginning of the third period. More recently, another starting position choice has been allowed, known as the "optional offensive starting position" or "optional start". After the wrestler with the choice, known as the offensive wrestler, indicates his intention to the referee, the referee lets the defensive wrestler adjust and begin in the defensive starting position. Next, the offensive wrestler goes to either side of

6156-433: The benefit of a pound allowance at what is called "scratch weight" a certain number of times during the dual meet season. After weigh-ins, the referee coordinates the random draw, which determines the sequence of weight classes for the dual meet. After the random draw, the referee will call the wrestlers from each team who have been designated as captains. One of the captains will call a disk toss. The disk will then fall to

6264-837: The best varsity wrestlers from their area to compete against each other. Many elite tournaments last two or even three days. For this reason, elite tournaments are often scheduled during the school's winter break. One of the most elite and longest-running high school wrestling invitational in the nation is hosted by Eagle Grove High School in Eagle Grove, Iowa . Between one season and the next, postseason tournaments and preseason tournaments are often held in scholastic wrestling and also in freestyle and Greco-Roman . The most active wrestlers often take part in those to sharpen their skills and techniques. Also, clinics and camps are often held for both wrestlers and their coaches to help refresh old techniques and gain new strategies. The match takes place on

6372-484: The bracket in a weight class in the first round, a bye will be awarded to a wrestler who does not have to compete against another wrestler in his pairing. After taking account the number of byes, the first round in each weight class then begins. Unlike most sports, where byes are awarded to the highest seeded teams or individuals, byes on a wrestling bracket are drawn randomly. Most high school wrestling tournaments are in double elimination format. The last two wrestlers in

6480-418: The center of the mat with one wrestler in the defensive starting position on the bottom with his hands spread apart in front of the forward starting line and his knees spread apart behind the rear starting line with his legs held together. The other wrestler on the top in the offensive starting position then kneels beside him with one arm wrapped around the bottom wrestler's waist with the palm of his hand against

6588-420: The colored disk toss that took place before the meet began. In tournaments, the referee will toss a colored disk, with a green -colored side and a red -colored side, and the winner of that disk toss will have the choice of position. The wrestler could choose between the neutral position, or to begin in what is called the "referee's position" on the mat. The referee's position has both wrestlers beginning action at

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6696-442: The defensive wrestler or behind him, with all his weight supported by both his feet or by one or both knees. The offensive wrestler would then place both his hands on the opponent's back between the neck and the waist. When the referee starts the match by blowing the whistle, the defensive wrestler then has the opportunity to get back to his feet in a neutral position. Any of the starting positions may be used to resume action during

6804-437: The extensive physical conditioning, mental preparation, complexity, and intense nature of its one-on-one competition, which requires physical power, speed, quick mental processing and reaction, and enormous preparation. According to an athletics participation survey taken in 2006-07 by the National Federation of State High School Associations , 9,445 high schools sponsored boys' wrestling teams and 257,246 boys participated in

6912-491: The first male cheerleaders in the history of the NFL to perform at the Super Bowl . Kristi Yamaoka, a cheerleader for Southern Illinois University, suffered a fractured vertebra when she hit her head after falling from a human pyramid . She also suffered from a concussion, and a bruised lung. The fall occurred when Yamaoka lost her balance during a basketball game between Southern Illinois University and Bradley University at

7020-461: The first official all-girls high school wrestling team was established at Brookline High School in Brookline, Massachusetts ; the team of 15 girls became an official public high school team three years later, in 1996. The first official U.S. Girls Wrestling Nationals was held the following year, in 1997. From the early 20th century through the present day, various state high school associations across

7128-459: The first time." In 1949, Lawrence Herkimer , a former cheerleader at Southern Methodist University and inventor of the herkie jump, founded his first cheerleading camp in Huntsville, Texas. 52 girls were in attendance. The clinic was so popular that Herkimer was asked to hold a second, where 350 young women were in attendance. Herkimer also patented the pom-pom . In 1951, Herkimer created

7236-424: The floor and determine which team has the choice of position at the start of the second period, and which one of the team's members is to appear first at the scorer's table when called by the referee for each weight class. The wrestling captain who wins the disk toss may choose the even or odd weight classes, the weight classes, from lowest to highest, that are numbered evenly or oddly. The first weight class chosen in

7344-488: The founding of a cheerleading uniform supply company, inventing the herkie jump (where one leg is bent towards the ground as if kneeling and the other is out to the side as high as it will stretch in toe-touch position), and creating the "Spirit Stick". In 1965, Fred Gastoff invented the vinyl pom-pom , which was introduced into competitions by the International Cheerleading Foundation (ICF, now

7452-551: The heavyweight division of up to 285 lb (129 kg). Other states have additional or modified weight classes, such as the 96 lb (44 kg) weight class in states such as New York , the 98 lb (44 kg) and 105 lb (48 kg) weight classes in states such as Montana , and the 180 lb (82 kg) weight class in states such as Texas . Weight classes for junior varsity, freshman, and middle school teams may differ from state to state. Each state high school association that sanctions wrestling also has

7560-518: The invention pom-pon , mentioned that they were made out of crepe paper or other similar material. Since then pom-poms have been made of plastic but mylar (also called BoPET ) has become increasingly popular in recent years. Cheerleading pom-poms come in a variety of shapes, styles, colors, color combinations, and sizes. The most common size, the six-inch (150 mm) works most age groups or performance type. This size can be used for dance teams, pom squads, cheerleaders, and majorettes, easily making it

7668-476: The late 1920s, many school manuals and newspapers that were published still referred to cheerleaders as "chap", "fellow", and "man". Women cheerleaders were overlooked until the 1940s when collegiate men were drafted for World War II , creating the opportunity for more women to make their way onto sporting event sidelines. As noted by Kieran Scott in Ultimate Cheerleading : "Girls really took over for

7776-420: The length of time are explained by the fact that junior varsity and freshmen wrestlers are presumed to be younger, less skilled, and possibly in poorer shape than varsity wrestlers, though this may not always be the case. Period lengths vary for age groups below high school and are different from state to state. The main official at the wrestling match is the referee , who is responsible for starting and stopping

7884-482: The losers of the consolation quarterfinals would wrestle for seventh place, with the loser winning eighth place, and so on. After the championships finals, the awards ceremony usually takes place with plaques, medals, trophies, or other awards given to the individual and team winners with the highest placements. Precise rules for tournaments may vary from one event to the next. For tournaments too large to properly accommodate all wrestlers, some host schools will implement

7992-547: The loss, the winning opponent will advance until he or she reaches the finals. Only those wrestlers who advance to the round before the quarter-finals and those who have lost to the wrestlers of the quarter-finals may have a chance at placing in the tournament. If our said wrestler wins the first match and loses the second match. The second opponent must advance an additional three rounds before our wrestler will be guaranteed another match and opportunity to place in this tournament. The carry-over system allows for more matches and

8100-410: The match; observing all holds; signaling points; calling penalties such as illegal holds, unnecessary roughness, fleeing the mat, or flagrant misconduct; and finally observing a full view of and determining the fall. There can also be one assistant referee, which is common at tournaments, who helps the referee with making any difficult decisions and in preventing error. Also, scorers record the points of

8208-522: The middle school level, 6 minutes at the high school level. with an overtime round if necessary if the score is tied at the end of regulation. High school matches are one minute shorter than college and university matches - not having collegiate wrestling's three-minute first period. Additionally, college wrestling uses the concept of "time advantage" or "riding time", while high school wrestling does not. Junior varsity and freshmen matches may be shorter than varsity matches in some states. Any differences in

8316-619: The most versatile strand length on the market. The second most common size, the five-inch (130 mm), is adequate for any age group or performance type, but the marginally shorter strands provide the necessary flash while acting more as an accent to the uniform. Pom-poms are also waved by sports fans, primarily at college and high school sports events in the United States. These inexpensive, light-weight faux pom-poms, or rooter poms, typically come in team colors, are sometimes given away or sold to spectators at such events. In reference to Scottish Highland dress and Scottish military uniforms,

8424-418: The music so that the team members execute the elements with precise timing and synchronization. Scholastic wrestling Scholastic wrestling , sometimes referred to as folkstyle wrestling and commonly known as simply wrestling , is a style of amateur wrestling at the high school and middle school levels in the United States . It has often been labeled the "toughest sport in the world" because of

8532-576: The number of high school cheerleaders from public high schools is around 394,700. There are different cheerleading organizations that put on competitions; some of the major ones include state and regional competitions. Many high schools will often host cheerleading competitions, bringing in IHSA judges. The regional competitions are qualifiers for national competitions, such as the UCA (Universal Cheerleaders Association) in Orlando , Florida , every year. Many teams have

8640-402: The offensive position is in control of his opponent, and thus does not need to gain control to score near-fall points or a pin. The wrestler could also choose the defensive (bottom) position, where he would have the opportunity to score points for a reversal or an escape and a subsequent takedown, as riding time is not calculated in high school wrestling. The wrestler could also defer his choice to

8748-416: The opponent's navel and the other hand on or over the back of the opponent's near elbow for control. The wrestler on the top must place his hand on the opponent's navel first, and then the elbow. This rule was recently instated in order to prevent the top wrestler's advantageous "slow arm" technique, where he/she can take advantage from placing his/her on the opponent's navel slowly. The wrestler starting in

8856-410: The other sports at their university, many teams at universities compete with other schools at either UCA College Nationals or NCA College Nationals. This requires the teams to choreograph a 2-minute and 30 second routine that includes elements of jumps, tumbling, stunting, basket tosses, pyramids, and a crowd involvement section. Winning one of these competitions is a very prestigious accomplishment, and

8964-407: The outer circle is usually an inner circle about 10 feet (3m) in diameter, designated by the use of contrasting colors or a 2-inch-wide (51 mm) line. Wrestlers are encouraged to stay within this inner circle or else they risk being penalized for "stalling," which is deliberately attempting to exhaust the match's clock without meaningful wrestling acts or maneuvers. Each wrestler begins action at

9072-517: The popularity of this type of team grew, more and more of them were formed, attending competitions sponsored by many different organizations and companies, each using its own set of rules, regulations, and divisions. This situation became a concern to coaches and gym owners, as the inconsistencies caused coaches to keep their routines in a constant state of flux, detracting from time that could be better utilized for developing skills and providing personal attention to their athletes. More importantly, because

9180-404: The random draw is odd. The rest of the weight classes are even and odd accordingly. If the 120lb weight class is chosen in the random draw, for example, then the 120lb, 132lb, 145lb, and subsequent weight classes would be odd, and the 126lb, 138lb, 152lb, and subsequent weight classes would be even. This order would work in the traditional sequence until the last even weight class at 113lb. During

9288-412: The referee before he comes set. The second period is two minutes long. If the match is not ended by a fall, technical fall, default, or disqualification, the referee then prepares both wrestlers to begin the third period. The wrestler who did not choose the starting position for the second period now chooses the starting position. The third period is also two minutes long. If the third period ends in

9396-414: The same cheerleading movements as their older counterparts, yet may perform less extreme stunts and tumbling elements, depending on the rules in their area. . In high school, there are usually two squads per school: varsity and a junior varsity . High school cheerleading contains aspects of school spirit as well as competition. These squads have become part of a year-round cycle. Starting with tryouts in

9504-402: The school week, or on Saturday mornings, afternoons, or evenings during the wrestling season and begin with weigh-ins, shoulder-to-shoulder, at a maximum of one hour before the meet begins. Wrestlers may wrestle up only one weight class above the weight class that they are placed in, with some exceptions. If a wrestler fails to make weight, he either has to forfeit or weigh-in at a higher class. If

9612-549: The small pom-pom on the crown of such hats as the Balmoral , the Glengarry , and the Tam o' Shanter is called a "toorie." The toorie is generally made of yarn and is traditionally red on both Balmorals and Glengarries (although specific units have used other colours). It has evolved into the smaller pom-pom found on older-style golf caps and the button atop baseball caps . The word toorie

9720-536: The sport, making it the eighth-most available and sixth-most popular high school sport in the nation. Among high school girls, 5,408 girls participated on 1,227 high school girls wrestling teams nationally, as of 2006-07. Scholastic wrestling exists at the high school level in all 50 U.S. states and the national capital of Washington, D.C. The most competitive high school wrestling programs have historically been in four U.S. states, Iowa , New Jersey , Ohio , and Pennsylvania , each of which have steep histories in

9828-491: The sport. The history of scholastic wrestling in the U.S. is closely related to the development of its college counterpart . In 1905, the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association held its first tournament, which soon sparked many more wrestling tournaments at both the collegiate and high school levels. In the mid-20th century, college and high school wrestling expanded rapidly after

9936-458: The spring, year-round practice, cheering on teams in the fall and winter , and participating in cheerleading competitions. Most squads practice at least three days a week for about two hours each practice during the summer. Many teams also attend separate tumbling sessions outside of practice. During the school year, cheerleading is usually practiced five- to six-days-a-week. During competition season, it often becomes seven days with practice twice

10044-421: The team also at football practices, and special cheering sections were designated in the stands for the games themselves for both the home and visiting teams. It was not until 1898 that University of Minnesota student Johnny Campbell directed a crowd in cheering "Rah, Rah, Rah! Ski-u-mah, Hoo-Rah! Hoo-Rah! Varsity! Varsity! Varsity, Minn-e-So-Tah!", making Campbell the very first cheerleader. November 2, 1898,

10152-512: The team's head coach and the person that performs the weight assessment. This is often done online through the website of the state high school association, or through the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA). After the date of certification, a growth allowance of two pounds in each weight class may be allowed in some states. Many tournaments offer an allowance of one or two pounds, allowing wrestlers to compete in

10260-444: The team, gender of participants, and ability level. The age groups vary from under 4 years of age to 18 years and over. The squad prepares year-round for many different competition appearances, but they actually perform only for up to 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 minutes during their team's routine. The numbers of competitions a team participates in varies from team to team, but generally, most teams tend to participate in six to ten competitions

10368-425: The three periods. All mats that are in sections are secured together. Additional padding may be added under the mat to protect the wrestlers. For younger age groups, one mat may be divided into halves or quarters so that multiple matches may be staged on a single mat. A match is a competition between two individual wrestlers, usually of the same weight class. The match consists of three periods totaling 4.5 minutes at

10476-434: The tournament, up to a maximum of two pounds. With the drawing and weigh-ins completed, wrestlers then compete in two brackets in each of the 14 weight classes. Often, a tournament host will field a "house team" composed of junior varsity wrestlers from competing schools when there are open slots in the brackets. Tournaments are usually either varsity or junior varsity competitions. If there are not enough wrestlers to fill up

10584-409: The two individual wrestlers. A match or meet timekeeper may be present to note the match time, timeouts, and work with the scorers. Each wrestler is called by the referee, reports to the scorer's table, steps onto the mat, and may put on a green (for the home team) or red (for the visiting team) anklet about two inches wide which the referee will use to indicate scoring. The referee then prepares

10692-425: The upper championship bracket wrestle for first place in the finals, with the loser winning second place. In other words, a wrestler cannot place higher than third if he is knocked down to the lower consolation bracket by losing in the championship semifinals. This is largely the result of time constraints: one-day tournaments often last into the evening. If the winner of the consolation bracket were allowed to challenge

10800-429: The various companies were constantly vying for a competitive edge, safety standards had become more and more lax. In some cases, unqualified coaches and inexperienced squads were attempting dangerous stunts as a result of these expanded sets of rules. The United States All Star Federation (USASF) was formed in 2003 by the competition companies to act as the national governing body for all star cheerleading and to create

10908-522: The weekend. Admission is often charged to cover costs and make a small profit for the host. A tournament committee usually administers the event and after individual and team entries have been verified, the officials then determine the order of the matches, called a drawing, by certain brackets usually including eight and up to 16 individual wrestlers. The tournament officials when doing this drawing take into account each wrestler's win–loss record, previous tournament placements, and other factors that indicate

11016-414: The winner of the championship bracket in the championship, the tournament could continue well past midnight before finishing. Depending on how many places are scored, the consolation rounds would then commence, beginning among all of the wrestlers who lost to the winners of a certain round. For example, in tournaments scoring eight places, consolation rounds would begin with all of the wrestlers who lost to

11124-448: The winners of the first round matches. After the championship semifinals, the losers in the semifinals would be cross-bracketed into the consolation semifinals. The winner of the consolation finals would then win third place, with the loser winning fourth place. In tournaments where six places are awarded, the losers of the consolation semifinals would wrestle for fifth place, with the loser winning sixth place. If eight places are awarded,

11232-454: The worldwide release of the 2000 film Bring It On . The International Cheer Union (ICU) now claims 116 member nations with an estimated 7.5 million participants worldwide. Around the end of the 2000s the sport had gained traction outside of the United States in countries like Australia, Canada, Mexico, China, Colombia, Finland, France, Germany, Japan , the Netherlands, New Zealand, and

11340-436: The wrestler's ability. With that in mind, wrestlers who are noticed as having the most superior records are bracketed so that two top-ranked superior wrestlers in each weight class do not compete against each other in an early round. This is called "seeding". A tournament begins with weigh-ins, shoulder-to-shoulder, starting two hours or less before competition begins. An allowance of one pound is granted for each subsequent day of

11448-538: The wrestlers to begin the first period. The referee prepares both wrestlers for the first period by making sure each wrestler is correctly in the "neutral position". The neutral position has the two wrestlers standing opposite each other on their feet. Each wrestler starts with his lead foot on the green or red area of the starting lines, and his other foot even with or behind the lead foot. Both wrestlers then usually slightly crouch with their arms in front of them at or above waist level. In this position, neither wrestler

11556-554: Was shouted out by student fans. Organized cheerleading began as an all-male activity. As early as 1877, Princeton University had a "Princeton Cheer", documented in the February 22, 1877, March 12, 1880, and November 4, 1881, issues of The Daily Princetonian . This cheer was yelled from the stands by students attending games, as well as by the athletes themselves. The cheer, "Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah! Tiger! S-s-s-t! Boom! A-h-h-h!" remains in use with slight modifications today, where it

11664-454: Was the first international cricket event to have cheerleaders. The Florida Marlins were the first Major League Baseball team to have a cheerleading team. Cheerleading originated as an all-male activity in the United States, and is popular predominantly in America, with an estimated 3.85 million participants as of 2017. The global presentation of cheerleading was led by the 1997 broadcast of ESPN 's International cheerleading competition, and

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