Timeline of ICCA History

1987

Several coaches meet to work on cheerleading concerns with Rick Wulkow and Bernie Saggau

1988

ICCA becomes an official organization and has its first spring conference at Johnston

ICCA publishes first newsletter**

ICCA membership = 50 coaches

1989

National Federation (NF) Rules Meetings started for cheer coaches**

ICCA awards three $100 scholarships for the first time*

1990

Three scholarships of $150 each are given at the ICCA Spring Conference*

First All State Tryouts held*

1991

All State Squad performances are held at the Boys State Basketball**

ICCA assists with sportsmanship judging at state basketball**

First state competition is held at Johnston High School* with IHSAA providing medals to top 3 place winners of each division

Cheerleading Handbooks are sent to every school**

1993

Newsletter is published three times a year* 

1994

Four academic scholarships of $500 each are given*

1995

Athletic Director/Administrator of the Year Award and Service Awards are given for first time*

Newsletter is now published four times a year*

1996

February: ICCA starts monitoring cheerleaders at the state wrestling tournament

First Honor Squad performance at state football finals*

ICCA starts first FREE fall clinics open to cheerleaders of members*

1997

Friend of Cheerleading Awards & Sportsmanship Awards begin

1998

ICCA donates a total of $5000 to the Hall of Pride*

2001

ICCA starts the All Star program with the All Star Goalsetters Basketball program (Iowa Basketball Coaches’ Association) and ICCA*

Fall Clinics expanded to six sites*

2004

ICCA hires Co Executive Directors**

ICCA monitors cheerleaders at state football*

State Championships adds the small and large squad divisions to an open class

Academic All-State program is established

IHSAA begins to print and mail the ICCA newsletter*

ICCA begins a paid treasurer’s position*

2005

ICCA monitors cheerleaders at the Boys’ State BasketballTournament*

State Championships moves to Veterans Auditoriumin Des Moineswith IHSAA still providing medals

State Championships add the stunt group division

IHSAA begins sponsoring partial tuition of educational classes for coaches**

ICCA begins the Lifetime Achievement Award 

2006

Best/Most entertaining cheer squads perform at half times of the Boys’ State BasketballTournament

ICCA works with the Special Olympics for the first time*

2007

ICCA gives two scholarships to two cheerleaders at Honor Squad*

2008

ICCA adds a scholarship to a senior on the All State Squad for the first time*

State Championships in November grows from 67 to 97 teams 

2009

Conference has record of 115 coaches registered

Conference has record numbers take NFHS (National Federation High School) coaches’ education courses

2010

State Championships moved to HyVee Hall in Des Moines

Online Spirit Rules Meetings begin

ICCA requires all coaches with cheerleaders participating in ICCA Events to take the online rules meeting

ICCA gives scholarships to a participating cheerleader(s) at all ICCA Events*

2011

State Championships moved to the State Fairgrounds in Des Moines using the Jacobson Exhibition Center                                and the Varied Industries Building

2012

Changed the Sideline Division name to Time Out Division at the State Championships

ICCA Newsletter goes green by emailing links to members*

2013

Conference moves from Ames to The Meadows Conference Center at Prairie Meadows

The IHSAA Board of Control approves of Uniform Guidelines and recommends schools follow the guidelines

The ICCA starts the Representative Council

Online registration process is used for the ICCA fall events and Conference registration process

Non-Stunt Division eliminated from the State Championships

2014

National Federation Concussion Training is required for coaches entering cheerleaders in ICCA Events

Small Team Division is eliminated from the State Championships

Stunt Group Divisions are broken down into 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, and Coed classes at the State Championships

2015

4A Large School Division is dropped in the State Championships to align all schools to size (1A, 2A, 3A, 4A)

2016

ICCA requires music royalties compliance for all teams using music at the State Championships

2017

All routines at the State Championship are performed in the Jacobson Building at the Iowa State Fairgrounds

Time Out Divisions changed to school class size -1A, 2A, 3A, 4A instead of Small School and Large School

ICCA begins the Distinguished Service Award for an active coach.

2018

ICCA’s 30th conference has record attendance number with 196 coaches.

The ICCA begins providing Spirit Rules books to every high school on the year opposite IHSAA*

The ICCA moves to 5 area districts instead of 6 districts.  This aligns with the IHSAA’s districts.

2020 

Many changes happened because of Covid-19.

  • The All-State team did not perform at the 2020 Boys’ State Basketball Tournament when the tournament was only allowed limited attendance by the state.
  • The Spring Conference was held virtually in June. 
  • In person State Championships were held virtually with 3 of 4 divisions new to the championships. A Spirit of Iowa champion was given.
  • Cheerleaders did not cheer at the State Wrestling tournament because of limited numbers allowed, but they were allowed to cheer at the Boys’ State Basketball Tournament.  
  • Masks were normal and stunts were only performed at lower levels.

*Funded by ICCA  **Funded by IHSAA & ICCA