Minnesota Golden Gophers Spirit Squads

The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers Spirit Squads comprise the cheerleading organization at the Twin Cities campus of the University of Minnesota. Being the first program ever to form worldwide, the University of Minnesota is consequently considered the "Birthplace of Cheerleading". Today, the Gopher Spirit Squads consist of five separate squads: a co-ed squad, a small co-ed squad, an all-girl squad, a dance team, and a hockey cheer squad. The school's mascot, Goldy Gopher, is also a part of the program. The squads consistently perform well at national competitions including 18 national championships in dance since 2003, a 2nd-place finish for All-Girl in 2013, a fifth place finish in 2017, and three time national champion Goldy Gopher in 2011, 2013, and 2017. The current head coach is Sam Owens.

The precursors of cheerleading began appearing at Princeton University in the latter half of the 19th century. In the 1880s, when Princeton graduate Thomas Peebles brought the game of American football to Minnesota, he also brought the idea of organized fan cheers. It wasn't until 1898, after a losing streak in football, that a Minnesota student named Johnny Campbell began leading cheers forming a squad of yell-leaders for the football game between Northwestern University and Minnesota. Campbell directed a crowd in cheering "Rah, Rah, Rah! Ski-u-mah, Hoo-Rah! Hoo-Rah! Varsity! Varsity! Varsity, Minn-e-So-Tah!", making Campbell the very first cheerleader. Minnesota won the game 17-6 with the credit for that victory largely going to Campbell and his squad. The "Ski-U-Mah" phrase and other cheers similar to the original yell are still used at the university by the Spirit Squads, as well as by the marching band and across the university.

In the 1920's, gymnastics and other athletic motions were first incorporated into routines by Minnesota's cheerleaders. Women were allowed beginning at Minnesota in 1923, and at that point other schools followed as cheerleading began to transform from a largely male activity to a largely female activity.

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