When organized cheerleading first came to this country in the late 1800s, it was unimaginable that it would become the American touchstone and measure of athleticism that it is today. Our first cheerleaders were men and they carried out their duties with far less accoutrement and fanfare that is par for the course today. Women joined the ranks of cheerleaders in the 1920s and each year that went by brought new cheerleading apparel on the scene – from cheerleading uniforms to cheerleading pom poms. Cheerleading pom poms, for example, were first made from paper; a decidedly haphazard prop that was used to lead crowds through simple cheers and chants. By the mid 1950s, however, cheerleading pom poms had become so a part of the overall cheerleading experience that they began to be produced from vinyl and manufactured on a larger scale.Today, of course, cheerleading pom poms are the quintessential cheerleading accessory; something that is as much a part of the cheerleading repertoire as the cheers themselves. Modern cheerleading pom poms can be purchased in any array of colors to coincide with school colors and the cheerleading uniforms being worn by the squad. True cheerleading uniforms as we know them today didn’t really arrive on the scene until the 1950s as cheerleading pom poms and other cheerleading apparel began to gain in popularity. Today, cheerleading uniforms are the cutting edge of high quality clothing merchandise. The fact of the matter is that today’s cheerleaders are very different from those cheerleaders so long ago. Those who cheer on today’s cheerleading squads are dedicated athletes that are adept at all forms of gymnastics and dance. And as cheerleading has evolved into a competitive sport, the cheerleading uniforms, cheerleading shoes, and cheerleading apparel has adapted to offer cheerleaders comfortable pieces that showcase their style as well as their athleticism.