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Cheerleading

Cheerleaders at William & Mary were first used for home football games and have evolved over the years to include other sports as well. In the past 80 years, there have been all-male, all-female, co-ed, and Freshman cheerleading squads at the College. The size of the squad has changed over time as well, from 3 in 1924 to 38 in 2008.

1920s

1924 - Cheerleaders were deemed a permanent organization made up of 3 male students: a Senior, a Junior, and a Sophomore

1926 - Women at the College were allowed to have their own section at home football games to cheer

1927 - The first woman cheerleader made the squad

1930s

1938 - The first all-female squad debuted for William & Mary home football games.

1950s

1950 - The Pep Club was formed as a separate spirit club from the cheerleaders

1960s

1961 - A Freshman squad made up of all women debuted

References

Issues of the Flat Hat:

  • Flat Hat, 1/18/1924, pg. 1, 8.
  • Flat Hat, 10/29/1926, pg. 1.
  • Flat Hat, 10/27/1927, pg. 3.
  • Flat Hat, 10/11/1938, pg. 1.
  • Flat Hat, 5/16/1950, pg. 12.
  • Flat Hat, 9/29/1961, pg. 6.

Material in the Special Collections Research Center

  • University Archives Photograph Collection, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, William & Mary.

    • "Athletics--Cheerleaders" prints folder
    • "Athletics--Cheerleaders, Nov. 1986" slides folder
    • P1989.110 Print of two cheerleaders tumbling on the football field, c. 1937. Black & white, 7 1/2" x 9 1/2" print on an 8 1/2" x 11" mat.
    • P1998.194 Print of cheerleaders at a football game in Zable Stadium, c. 1970s. Photo by Thomas L. Williams. Black & white, 8" x 10" print.
    • P1989.186 Print of views of audiences at rainy football games, c. 1970. Black & white prints.
  • Acc. 2008.01: Cheerleaders Scrapbooks, 1983-1989, University Archives Scrapbook Collection,Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, William & Mary.
  • Additional results for the search term "cheerleader" in the SCRC Collections Database
  • The Flat Hat
    • Photos of Cheerleaders in The Flat Hat

      • 9/27/1929, pg. 7
      • 9/24/1940, pg. 1
      • 3/9/1948, pg. 12
      • 5/16/1950, pg. 12
      • 2/16/1954, pg. 1
      • 10/25/1955, pg. 8
      • 4/21/1961, pg. 5
      • 10/6/1961, pg. 15
      • 2/4/1983, pg. 23
      • 11/4//1988, pg. 20
      • 2/2/1996, pg. 1
  • Honorary cheerleader names, William & Mary News, 10/17/78, pg 3.

 

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A note about the contents of this site

This website contains the best available information from known sources at the time it was written. Unfortunately, many of the early original records of William & Mary were destroyed by fires, military occupation, and the normal effects of time. The information in this website is not complete, and it changes as we continue to research and uncover new sources.