Many have seen her. Many know her. But who is the American cheerleader? Is he a blonde-haired, blue-eyed sex symbol? Is she a drug addict girl with no brains and even less moral values? Maybe she's just the typical girl next door, pretty, with a strong voice and a lot of wit. What is clearly true is that cheerleading and cheerleading have evolved greatly over a century-long history. What started as a daring college student has grown into an activity with over 3 million participants (Brady 1); one that is supported by a $150 million industry (Williams 2). Modern cheerleading has come a long way from its historical roots, but major differences still exist between the iconic cheerleader, the stereotypical cheerleader, and the truth. The first known organized cheer took place during a football game at Princeton University in the early 1880s. but the first individually noticed cheerleader was a University of Minnesota student named Johnny Campbell. During a Minnesota football game on the night of November 2, 1898, Johnny took advantage of the crowd's energy to lead them in a chant of, "Rah, rah, rah! Ski-u-mah! Hoo-rah! Hoo-rah! Varsity! ("Cheerleader"1). Thus cheerleading was born. It steadily grew as male-only "pep squads" until the early 1920s when, for the first time, women began to join. cheerleading. Cheerleaders brought with them flips and dance moves that are now essential elements of modern cheerleading. In the early 1900s, the first pom-poms, megaphones and crowd signals began to appear and gain popularity. Cheerleading made its fateful transition from a predominantly male activity to a predominantly female activity during World War II When men went to fight, work and work... middle of paper... overall,. most seemed to be "the humble, average, girl next door who is quite attractive," (Terry, "Cheerleader" 3) and is an icon and role model in her own right. Works Cited"Being a Cheerleader: Cheerleader History." Varsity.com. Varsity Spirit Corporation. Network. February 22, 2011.Brady, Erik. "Cheerleading in the United States: A Sport and an Industry." Editorial. USA Today:1-4. USAToday.com. USA Today, April 26, 2002. Web. February 22, 2011. "History of Cheerleaders." CheerleadingSafety.com. 1999-2009. Cheerleader Safety.com. Network. February 22, 2011.Terry, Leigh. “Cheerleader Survey for the Public.” Survey. February 22, 2011 – February 24, 2011. Terry, Leigh. “College Cheerleaders Survey.” Survey. February 18, 2011.Williams, Alex. “Cheerleaders demand the field for themselves.” Editorial. The New York Times. August 15, 2004: 1-6. NYTimes.com. The New York Times, August 15, 2004. Web. February 23. 2011.