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Varsity Spirit Corp. is the largest organization in the cheerleading industry. Based in Memphis, Tennessee, Varsity consists of the leading organizations and brands in the all segments of cheerleading and dance team, from educational camps and clinics to competitions and cheerleading and dance team apparel.

Since its founding, Varsity has been the driving force in making Cheerleadingthe dynamic, athletic and high profile activity it is today. Jeff Webb’s vision for cheerleading was to combine high energy entertainment with traditional school leadership. Webb and his organization have driven the development of an international phenomenon that now not only includes millions of young Americans, but also a rapidly growing number of participants worldwide, according to the International Cheer Union.

Varsity’s history dates back to 1948, and it continues to be the global leader[1] in growing cheerleading’s influence and profile.

In 1981, Varsity hosted the first National High School Cheerleading Championships, and it was the first time cheerleading was televised on TV. Today, four of Varsity’s National Championships are televised on the ESPN networks, including the National High School Cheerleading Championships, the National College Cheerleading and Dance Team Championships, National Dance Team Championships and the National All Star Cheerleading Championships. All four National Championships are hosted at the Walt Disney World Resorts.

Under the umbrella of Varsity are the leading cheerleading organizations in the United States. Each summer, Varsity camp organizations train 300,000 cheerleaders from colleges, high schools, junior high schools, middle schools and all star programs. In all, 475,000 cheerleaders and dance team members compete at Varsity brand events.

Between its three apparel companies, Varsity Spirit Fashions, Cheerleader & DanzTeam and Ozone, Varsity outfits one million cheerleaders every year.

Achievements

  • First Camps
  • First Pom Pons
  • First Partner Stunt Competition
  • First televised competitions
  • First Safety Guidelines
  • First Half Time Show

With 17 million video streams in 2009 alone, Varsity TV on Varsity.com has the largest collection of cheerleading and dance team competition videos. Viewers can choose from 30,000 competition videos on Varsity.com. Varsity TV also features original shows, like “Friday Night Cheerleading in America,” “Varsity News Now,” “Hit It,” “Inside UCA Cheer Camp” and “NCA Camps – A Cheerleading Tradition.”

History and leadership

Jeff Webb is the CEO and Founder of Varsity.[2] was a yell leader at the University of Oklahoma contemplating law school and working summers as a camp instructor for National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) with Lawrence Herkimer when he decided to start Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) under the Varsity name. In 2004, the two cheer giants merged to form the largest partnership in the cheerleading and dance team industry.

Webb founded UCA in 1974 with the vision of incorporating athleticism and entertainment with the tradition crowd leader’s role to create a new brand of cheerleading that caused the activity to explode in popularity from the ‘80s to today.

Webb’s use of marketing and promotional campaigns[3] to increase cheerleading’s profile have directly impacted cheerleading’s popularity. Today, ESPN televises 8 hours of Varsity’s national championships, a relationship that began in 1985 and continues to this day. In 2002, Webb was featured prominently in a USA Today article entitled From Megaphones to Mega-Profits.[1]

Lawrence Herkimer

Lawrence Herkimer founded the National Cheerleaders Association in 1948, the nation’s first professional cheerleading training organization. He held the first organized cheerleading camp in Huntsville, TX in 1948. His signature jump, the “Herkie” is one of the most famous cheerleading jumps and is still performed today. Herkimer started the first cheerleading uniform company, Cheerleading Supply Company, in 1951 to meet the needs of cheerleaders, dancers and drill teams. Today it is known as Cheerleader and DanzTeam.[4] In March 2009, the New York Times published an article about Herkie.[5]

Varsity and Cheerleading Safety

Recognizing that cheerleading’s growing popularity created a need for a safety organization that could objectively analyze risk and set guidelines, Varsity underwrote the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators (AACCA) in 1987.

Varsity Contributions to Cheerleading Safety

  • AACCA was begun in 1987 to ensure that cheerleaders were exposed to the best training available and the safest conditions possible. Everyone in the cheer community benefits from AACCA, regardless of which camp, competition or uniform they purchase.
  • Currently, 22,000 coaches nationwide are certified through AACCA’s safety course.
  • More than a quarter of a million cheerleaders completed the AACCA Safety Awareness Program in 2009 at Varsity cheer camps
  • School employees 21 and older who have completed the AACCA certification receive an additional $1,000,000 in liability coverage.
  • Every Varsity cheer camp instructor is safety certified through AACCA, and has received a minimum of 30 hours of hands-on training
  • In May, 2010 AACCA released new safety guidelines for elementary, middle and junior high school teams[6]

AACCA

AACCA is a non-profit educational association for the over 70,000 cheerleading coaches across the United States. Founded in 1987, members of the association include: youth, junior high school, high school, all star, and college or university coaches/advisors, as well as leading national cheerleading instructional companies dedicated to the safe and responsible practice of student cheerleading. AACCA is the defining source for all cheerleading safety education. The AACCA manual was composed by the industry's top cheerleading professionals, doctors, business professionals, lawyers, and Dr. Gerald S. George.[7]

The AACCA manual has been endorsed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the National Federation of State High School Associations, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the Women's Sport Foundation, the National Athletic Trainers Assocation and the University Risk Management and Insurance Association.

AACCA was created to form a structured platform for cheerleading safety. The concept of the certification was to create stronger, safer athletes. The physics of cheerleading mixed with the intense emotional toll that any sport can have were all taken into consideration when creating the manual. Topics such as physical vs. emotional readiness are also discussed. The AACCA manual is an intensive study of the philosophy of safety, along with cheer and dance specific techniques, legal liability issues, medical responsibilities, nutrition and hydration, environmental safety, and many other topics relative to the practice and performances of cheerleader and dance skills.

Partners & Philanthropy

Sponsors & Partners

Philanthropy

Varsity and the Office on Women’s Health Best Bones Forever teamed up to promote teen bone health at major events in Orlando and Dallas. Cheerleaders and dance team members learned that physical activity builds strong bones for life.

The CheeReaders program provides support to cheerleaders who want to start group that read to schoolchildren in the hopes of improving literacy and overall academic success. Varsity helped support this start up literacy group with free advertising through bookmarks to all campers (300,000) and signage to them to use for their events.

Varsity is a partner with The Sparkle Effect, an initiative begun by two varsity cheerleaders from Iowa who started a special needs cheerleading squad in their community, then created a template so that other schools could follow their lead. Featured on “Oprah!”, the Sparkle Effect has been a hugely successful program. When the Sparkle Effect won a grant for their organization’s efforts, Varsity Spirit Fashions matched the uniform budget with a $10,000 credit towards the Varsity apparel.

UCA and the Muscular Dystrophy Association: This Labor Day will mark the 20th year that Varsity cheerleaders have participated in the MDA Telethon and helped to raise donations for this organization. Last year, they were able to raise $52,000 for MDA and have raised the goal higher for 2009. In addition to performing during the telecast, Varsity raises funds at events throughout the country. Cumulatively, Varsity has helped to raise $750,000 over the last 20 years. This year, donations to the Muscular Dystrophy Association will top $1,000,000. UCA staff members represent not just UCA during the Jerry Lewis Telethon, but all cheerleaders. The Telethon is just one way Varsity puts cheerleaders in the forefront, and broadcasts the positive aspects of being a cheerleader on a global scale.

NCA and the Make A Wish Foundation - continuing a longstanding commitment to leadership and community service, NCA and NDA are proud to be official sponsors of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a global charity that grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich their lives with hope, strength and joy. Cheerleaders and dance team members can go to nca.varsity.com and click on the Make-A-Wish logo to get started on one of the most important “team” projects they will ever accomplish.

American School Spirit Award – The ASSA is an award for outstanding schools whose cheerleaders demonstrate academic excellence, leadership and school spirit. Varsity rewards one cheerleading team and one dance team every year with the American School Spirit Award. The American School Spirit Award recognizes cheerleaders who embody the best of this world: leadership, sportsmanship, athleticism and community service.

America Needs Cheerleaders[8] and National School Spirit Day[9]

These are two campaigns that work together to foster leadership and community service among cheerleaders. America Needs Cheerleaders shines a light on all of the positive attributes of cheerleaders—from high academic achievement, to athletic excellence and school spirit to a willingness to help others in need. National School Spirit Day – Varsity’s competition organizations started this National day of service for cheerleaders beginning on September 9, 2009. Cheerleaders are encouraged to be visible leaders in their community and to do perform acts of kindness and charity. This year, National School Spirit Day is being celebrated on September 10, 2010.

References

  1. ^ a b "From megaphones to mega-profits". Usatoday.Com. 2002-04-26. Retrieved 2010-07-27.
  2. ^ "Industry Profile: Jeff Webb of Varsity Brands, Inc". Cheercoachmagazine.com. 2006-05-01. Retrieved 2010-07-27.
  3. ^ "Marketers Are Joining the Varsity". New York Times. June 11, 2007. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  4. ^ "Cheerleading Uniforms - Cheer & Dance Uniforms from Varsity:: Welcome". Uniforms.varsity.com. Retrieved 2010-07-27.
  5. ^ Shaking Pom Poms for the Grandfather of Cheerleading.
  6. ^ "New safety rules for school cheerleaders : American Cheerleader Magazine". Americancheerleader.com. 2010-05-11. Retrieved 2010-07-27.
  7. ^ "Biography: GEORGE, Gerald S". Gymnasticshalloffame.org. Retrieved 2010-07-27.
  8. ^ "Varsity". Varsity. Retrieved 2010-07-27.
  9. ^ "September 10, 2010". National School Spirit Day. Retrieved 2010-07-27.
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