“I’m a cheerleader!” Natasha Lyonne’s character, Megan, shouts in defiance when the question of her heteronormativity is at stake in Jamie Babbit’s 1999 romantic comedy, But I’m a Cheerleader. What can be a more perfect excuse? After all, isn’t the image of a cheerleader that of a perky, pampered, all-smiles girl cheering for her football player boyfriend on the sidelines? Is it not the duty of a cheerleader to embody ornamental femininity in the shadow of male-dominated sports? It is these stereotypes that make one of the most frustrating things about cheerleading being the act of telling people you’re a cheerleader. For St Andrews cheerleaders like Tanya Sanders, Cecily Todd, and Maddison Ford, having to constantly deconstruct the notion that cheerleading is designed to amplify the male athlete’s performance is almost as exhausting as nailing the combination of stunting, gymnastics, jumps, and dance that make up a Saints Cheerleading competitive routine. When posed with the question, “Who do you cheer for?” We are forced to confront the reality of an outdated notion of cheerleading that most people still have today–one that adheres to patriarchal conventions and undermines our own athleticism by reducing us to a sideline act. When posed with that question, it becomes the duty of the St Andrews cheerleader to emphasize the depth, diversity, and sheer athleticism that makes cheerleading a sport in its own right.

Who doesn’t love some encouragement? The act of yelling encouragement has existed since the very early stages of civilisation, but how did we get from cheering on gladiators as they fought to the death in the Colosseum in Rome to the ever-expanding world of All-Star cheerleading, and where does the image of the stereotypical, heteronormative cheerleader fall into place on that timeline? Until November of 1898, cheers and chants came from the crowds, until a student at the University of Minnesota went down to the fields to lead the student body in a chant. What came after was the birth of cheerleading, though it wasn’t born into the image of polished, showy smiles and femininity that we often associate with cheerleading today. The original cheerleaders were men, at the time called “yell leaders”, and their responsibility was to stimulate the crowd while also controlling it. Cheerleading was not only male-dominated in its original form, but served as an emblem of masculinity; The first cheerleaders “were no ordinary men, they were the best image of the ideal man that their college campuses had to offer.” The shift in cheerleading from being a male-dominated activity to a female-dominated activity was attributed to World War II, whereas the shift from cheerleading representing “normative masculinity to representing ideal femininity,” was attributed to the societal conventions that surrounded women post World War II. According to sociologists Natalie Adams and Pamela Bettis, “cheerleading represents a liberating shift in normative femininity while simultaneously perpetuating a norm that does not threaten dominant social values and expectations about the role of girls and women.” As such, cheerleading became a channel for women to develop their athleticism in an environment where they were fully accepted, that is, on the sideline, where their increased power and social standing did not threaten the traditional, male-centric domain of sports. 

It didn't take too long for the athleticism of cheerleading to become widely acknowledged. During the late 70s and early 80s, cheerleaders were given a platform to demonstrate their skills in stunting, tumbling, and jumps in cheerleading competitions that were televised across the US, leading to the increased popularity in the sport and allowing it to expand beyond the sidelines. The birth of “All-Star” cheerleading came about in the 1980s when schools were no longer able to accommodate the influx of athletes who wanted to participate in cheerleading. A rapidly expanding powerhouse, All-Star cheer carved out its own unique regimen that began to attract athletes who were more interested in competing for the sport in its  own right, thus leading to the formation of the US All-Star Federation (USASF). Even today, the acceleration of cheerleading as a sport shows no sign of stopping; With its unique composition of skills and multifaceted athleticism, cheerleading has attracted and welcomed athletes of all backgrounds, identities, and skill levels, marking it as one of the most popular sports in the US and worldwide. Anyone can be a cheerleader, as long as you have the dedication to master the techniques required to make an impact on the mat. 

The Saints Cheerleading club is not only an outlet where athletes like Tanya, Cecily, and Maddison can build their skill levels, it is also an environment where they can foster meaningful relationships and become a part of a community rooted in encouragement, acceptance, and kindness. When asked to describe their experience on the Saints Cheerleading club, the words “family,” “fulfillment,” “friendship,” and “pride,” really stuck out. As Saints Cheerleaders, it is our duty to defy the misconception of cheerleaders being shallow, superficial, and performing solely to appeal to the male gaze. In a sport so dependent on teamwork and unity, we pride ourselves in the friendships we have created through our hard work, dedication, and commitment to uplifting each other on the mat. When posed with the question, “Who do you cheer for?” I cheer for my community and the values I have gained from surrounding myself with the people that I love.