40+ Vintage Photos of Cheerleaders That Make Us Feel Nostalgic

A Tough Job

Of course, cheerleading is a tough job! If everyone possessed the skills of cheerleaders, there would be no need for them after all. Cheerleaders put copious amounts of hours into training to make sure that their routines are perfect.

Not only is a lot of training required, but keeping fit and healthy is also another requirement that comes with being a cheerleader. Most coaches back in the day would have their cheer squad on strict diets so they had enough energy for the games!

Bring it Home!

While most modern cheerleading uniforms are skin-tight and made with a certain material to allow cheerleaders to move about freely, this was not always the case. This is perfectly demonstrated by this next vintage photo from an Iowa State cheerleader.

Iowa is a midwest state and thus would get extremely cold during the winter. This would probably explain the thick, woolen Iowa sweater this cheerleader is adorning. If these girls are cheerleading during the summer, they may have to look for an alternative!

Poms Poms Up

You may not recognize her here, but this is actually a still from the 1960 movie Tall Story, with Jane Fonda in her first-ever on-screen role. Fonda plays June Ryder who goes to university to not only study home economics, but to find a husband.

As shown in these photos, the 1960s were a new era for cheerleading uniforms compared to Sandy’s cheerleading uniform in Grease. The inclusion of the miniskirt in these uniforms allowed cheerleaders to move freely and perform a number of difficult tricks.

Truly All American

While cheerleading is starting to become a popular hobby and profession around the world, its importance and prevalence in American culture cannot be understated. There are cheerleaders at a high school or college level, and beyond that, people can become professional cheerleaders.

However, people really underestimate cheerleaders. They might think these ladies are dumb just because they’re cheerleaders, however, that’s certainly not true. Many cheerleaders at a professional level actually have college diplomas and are very skilled in their field.

One Big Team

It’s not just about individual cheerleaders. To be a successful cheerleading team, you need to work and communicate with one another to pull off some of the incredible moves and routines cheerleaders often do while on the pitch.

However, life as a cheerleader isn’t always glamorous. Debbie Kepley, a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader back in the 1970s, disclosed that being a cheerleader felt like being on Miss America — meaning that you’ll do anything people say to be a part of the glitz and glam, including betraying your teammates.