Oxford and Cambridge cheerleaders fighting to wear Blues for their universities

by

Give us a B.L.U.E! How cheerleading squads at Oxford and Cambridge are struggling to be granted official Blue status by university bosses

  • Oxbridge came up with Blue status for students competing at the very top level 
  • Rugby, rowing and croquet are among the sports to have Blue status to date
  • Cambridge awards Blues to its female cheerleaders, but Oxford does not  

By Luke May For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

Cheerleaders at two of Britains most prestigious universities are pushing for their sport to receive Blue status – the same recognition granted to teams in rugby and rowing.

Students at Oxford and Cambridge want to represent their universities in the coveted Blue colours – described by Oxford as ‘the highest honour granted to individual sportspeople’ at the university.

They’re hoping that being given Blue status will give them greater funding for taking part in the sport, while they’re also pushing for greater recognition for male participants.

The Oxford Sirens are appealing to their university to be given Blue honours, the same award given to the uni’s top rowing and rugby teams 

Cambridge Cougars during a routine. The unversity's cheerleading time is fighting to get better funding and for better recognition of male cheerleaders

Cambridge Cougars during a routine. The unversity’s cheerleading time is fighting to get better funding and for better recognition of male cheerleaders

While the sport has dominated US colleges for decades, cheerleading is growing in popularity in the UK, with societies popping up in most universities.

Cheerleaders at both Oxford and Cambridge are struggling to be recognised, according to The Times.  

While Cambridge currently awards Blue sporting colours to most of its competitive teams, it only awards them to its female cheerleading squad, Team Cambridge, known as the Cougars. 

The team wants recognition as a sport, so it can get more funding from the university, it’s also pushing to get greater recognition for male participants.

The Oxford Sirens hold 2019’s coveted Varsity title, but does not award Blues for cheerleading. It does award them for sports such as rugby, rowing and croquet.

Cambridge Cougars have been awarded Blues by their university, but they want to see the same recognition for men taking part in the sport

Cambridge Cougars have been awarded Blues by their university, but they want to see the same recognition for men taking part in the sport

Oxford’s Blues committee is considering an application to give the girls’ team Blues status. 

The rival universities’ students are working together for greater recognition of their sport. 

Oxford are awaiting a decision from their Blues committee. Ben Llewelyn, 28, who coaches the team, told The Times: ‘The time now feels right.’

He added the team had gone from ‘struggling to make up a squad of 25 to fielding a first and second team and having to turn away many who try out’.

What are Blues at Oxbridge unis?  

Oxford was the first university to use Blues in competition for its top sporting teams. It’s rowing team wore the colour out on the 1828 bowing race. 

The following year Cambridge’s boat had a light blue ribbon attached to the front and from there Blues became both universities’ way of identifying the students competiting at the highest level.

Oxford University describes wearing Blues as ‘the highest honour granted to individual sportspeople at the University of Oxford’.

According to the University of Oxford’s sports website: ‘The awarding of a Blue is dependent on the status of each sport and the specific criteria associated with competing at the highest level within that sport’