Uniform Fads
Girls Basketball
Plymouth 1907
In 1890s – 1900s, girls’ sports uniforms didn’t vary much from normal school clothes. Long bloomers took the place of a floor length skirt, but strict rules of propriety were more important than comfort.
Plymouth 1926
By the 1920s, uniforms took on a sportier look, allowing a little more leg to show and exposing the whole arm.
Check out those nifty socks! Just a few years later, bloomers gave way to shorts.
LaPaz 1931
By the 1920s, uniforms took on a sportier look, allowing a little more leg to show and exposing the whole arm.
There is a gap from the late 1930s through the 1960s as girls’ sports yielded to the poor advice that strenuous exercise was not good for girls, diminished their femininity, and was not ‘ladylike.’
LaVille 2018
With the vast changes implemented in the 1970s because of the federal equal opportunities law (Title IX), girls’ sports saw a resurgence and now rival boys’ sports for excitement, competition and much more comfortable uniforms!
Uniform Fads
Boys Basketball
Early Argos
From the very beginning of organized basketball in Marshall County, boys’ uniforms were more comfortable and practical than girls’uniforms. They did not, however have the benefit of elastic waist shorts, so belts were a necessity!
Matching shoes and knee pads were standard equipment as well.
A big fad in the 1930s – 40s was short satin shorts. Knee pads were still a part of the uniform, but they appeared to be made of sturdier stuff. The school symbol or initials on the front of the jersey had generally been forfeited in favor of player numbers.
LaPaz 1942
Argos 1964
Between the late 1950s and the early 1990s, basketball uniforms didn’t change much, except that school names were on the front and numbers were both back and front.
Culver Academies 2018
Sometime after the turn of the 21st century, boys’ basketball uniforms got longer and looser. Jerseys didn’t cling and shorts were not all that short.
Uniform Fads
Football
The 1896 staged photograph (at right) illustrates why the pictured uniforms were not adequate. These players weren’t really hurt, but quilted pants and vests would not provide the kind of protection the sport required. In 1905, Plymouth banned football as too dangerous. It did not make a comeback until 1924.
Plymouth 1896
Plymouth 1920s
The advent of leather helmets reintroduced football as ‘less dangerous.’ While they did have some padding on the inside, it was insufficient and provided little protection. Plastic helmets and facemasks did not make an appearance until the 1940s. modern shoulder pads came after that, probably in the 1950s.
LaVille 1976
LaVille 2017
Modern shoulder pads came after that, probably in the 1950s.
Since then, with steady improvements, football uniforms have provided much more protection in pads, mouth and face guards, and helmets.
Uniform Fads
Cheerleading
Plymouth 1948
‘Yell’ leaders seemed to make their first appearance in Marshall County in the 1940s. Long skirts or trousers were a standard uniform and were often accessorized with saddle shoes and a large megaphone.
Argos 1950s
Tippecanoe 1960
Predictably, the skirts got shorter in the 1960s and were usually paired with long-sleeved sweaters. Check out those crazy shoes!
Plymouth 1975
During the 1970s – 90s, skirts got even shorter and tended to be pleated. Matching sweaters were more often short-sleeved – much more practical, at least in a gymnasium. The addition of male cheerleaders added another design element, along with upper body strength!
Culver 2018
Current cheerleading styles include skirts that are shorter still and tighter. Sweaters have given way to tops designed for layering, making them more comfortable and versatile for indoor/outdoor use.