Cheerleading is a team activity in which elements of dance and acrobatics are combined with shouted slogans in order to entertain spectators at sporting events and to encourage louder and more enthusiastic cheering from the crowds. This cheerleader Minnie Mouse ceramic figurine certainly captures the energy and fun of this sport:

Did I say ‘sport’? Yup. Once exclusively a sideline activity geared toward supporting school sports teams, cheerleading has gained recognition as a sport in its own right. And when you see the athleticism involved, I think that designation is well earned!

What team is Minnie cheering for? After not much research, I’m going with the Arizona Wildcats football program that represents the University of Arizona in the sport of American college football. Arizona competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the South Division of the Pac-12 Conference (Pac-12). Yeah, I have no idea what that means either.

Here is a screen capture of the team in play:

Uniform colours… close enough!

This figurine has no makers mark on the bottom, just a copyright for Disney and China listed as the place of manufacture.

American football evolved in the United States, originating from the sports of soccer and rugby. The first American football match was played on November 6, 1869, between two college teams, Rutgers and Princeton, using rules based on the rules of soccer at the time. I have no idea when this little figurine was produced. But then, Minnie is timeless, so…

FUN FACTS: Although cheerleading is today predominantly associated with femininity, the original cheerleaders were men. But now only the women get to play with the pom-poms. And I’m okay with that.