Several Green Bay Packers cheerleading squads have performed in Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...

' history. The Packers became one of the first professional football teams to have a cheerleading

Cheerleading

Cheerleading is a physical activity, sometimes a competitive sport, based on organized routines, usually ranging from one to three minutes, which contain the components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting to direct spectators of events to cheer on sports teams at games or to participate...

 squad, having first used cheerleaders in 1931

1931 Green Bay Packers season

The 1931 Green Bay Packers season was their 11th in the National Football League. The club posted a 12-2 record under coach Curly Lambeau, earning them a first-place finish and the Packers third consecutive National Football League Championship. The Packers became the first NFL team to win three...

. The squad performed for 57 years under three separate names. In 1988

1988 Green Bay Packers season

The 1988 Green Bay Packers season was their 68th season in the National Football League. The club posted a 4–12 record under coach Lindy Infante, earning them a fifth-place finish in the NFC Central division...

, it was decided that the team would cease having a professional squad cheer for them. As of 2007, the team uses collegiate

College

A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...

 squads in a limited role to cheer during home games.

Role

The cheerleaders squads have cheered for the National Football League

National Football League

The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

 team at home games in Green Bay

Green Bay, Wisconsin

Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...

 and Milwaukee

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...

, Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...

. They occasionally represent the team at various functions, although since 1988 they have had a limited role compared to other professional cheer squads in the National Football League

National Football League

The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

History

The Packers became one of the first professional football teams to have cheerleaders in 1931 when they used the Green Bay East

Green Bay East High School

Green Bay East High School is a public high school in the Green Bay Area Public School District serving Green Bay, Wisconsin and its surrounding communities . The school's street address is 1415 East Walnut Street.-History:East High School has been located in three buildings over its 150-year history...

 and West

Green Bay West High School

Green Bay West High School is a high school in Green Bay, Wisconsin, at 966 Shawano Ave. Founded in the early 1900s, it recently in late 2001 underwent significant renovations, adding a new west wing and completely reconfiguring the cafeteria...

 high school

High school

High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....

s' squads on the sidelines for several games.

Packers coach Vince Lombardi

Vince Lombardi

Vincent Thomas "Vince" Lombardi was an American football coach. He is best known as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s, where he led the team to three straight league championships and five in seven years, including winning the first two Super Bowls following the 1966 and...

 notified Mary Jane Sorgel that he wanted her to organize a professional cheerleading squad. Lombardi wasn't clear about exactly what he wanted, but he was clear about what he didn't want. "We weren't the Dallas Cowgirls," said Sorgel. "We were wholesome Midwest girls, because Vince Lombardi did not like real short skirts. He liked the girls to be more modest, so that's the way we were."

The first professional squad was named the Green Bay Packerettes. They were later renamed the Golden Girls, renamed back to the Packerettes, and later the Green Bay Sideliners. The Packers last had professional cheerleaders in 1988. Green Bay television station WFRV did a poll and found that approximately 50% of fans wanted cheerleaders and 50% did not. Packers Vice President Bob Harlan

Bob Harlan

Robert E. "Bob" Harlan is the former Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the Green Bay Packers, an American professional football team. He is a graduate of Marquette University, where he was the Sports Information Director for many years...

 issued a press release, stating "In general terms, the poll disclosed there were as many fans who expressed opposition to the return of the cheerleaders as there were those in favor of restoring them. On that basis, we felt the appropriate decision at this time would be to continue without them." College cheerleaders now cheer on the sidelines for the team.

Green Bay Packerettes

The Green Bay Packers cheer squad was first named the Green Bay Packerettes. The squad under this name was active in the 1950s and 1960s.

Golden Girls

The team took their name from Paul Hornung

Paul Hornung

Paul Vernon Hornung is a retired Hall of Fame professional football player who played for the Green Bay Packers from 1957-66...

's nickname "The Golden Boy." They were founded in 1961 by Mary Jane Sorgel and they lasted until 1972. The first squad consisted of sixteen students from Sorgel's dance studios around northeast Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...

 doing routines designed by her. "The girls I had on the field did more than just cheering," Sorgel said. "They did tumbling, I had some national baton twirling champions and dancers, and of course the pom girls. We were very colorful." 1970 squad member Anne Maedke described their routine, "The Golden Girls did skits, dance routines -- twirling and tumbling and acrobatic type things -- in one-piece sequined swimsuits and high-heeled boots during breaks." The Golden Girls were honored by the team with a permanent installation at the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame

Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame

The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame was the first hall of fame built to honor a single professional American football team. After receiving approval from coach Vince Lombardi, William L. Brault, a Green Bay restaurateur and Packers fan, founded the Hall of Fame in 1966...

 in May 2007.

Green Bay Packerettes return

In 1973, the Green Bay Packers changed the name of the squad back to the Green Bay Packerettes. The squad was active under this name until 1977.

Green Bay Sideliners

In 1977, the squad was again renamed to the Green Bay Sideliners. The squad was the last professional squad to cheer for the Packers, having been disbanded in 1988.

Collegiate cheerleaders

The Packers had the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay (UWGB) cheerleader cheer after they no longer had professional cheerleaders. The team currently uses college cheerleading squads, with both UWGB and St. Norbert College

St. Norbert College

St. Norbert College is a private Catholic liberal arts college in De Pere, Wisconsin. Founded in October 1898 by Abbot Bernard Pennings, a Norbertine priest and educator, the school was named after Saint Norbert of Xanten. In 1952, the college became coeducational and today enrolls about 2,175...

's squads cheering at each home game.