 It was a flashback to 1968 Saturday as Bemidji State University celebrated 50 years of hockey cheerleading. Josh Peterson met up with some of the original squad members and shares their thoughts on the 50-year milestone. Their voices have echoed over the last 50 years. Cheering on the green and white, win or lose. This past weekend, Bemidji State University hockey cheerleaders honored their roots by celebrating the team that started it all during the 1967-68 hockey season. Today, three of those original team members returned to see the legacy they started 50 years ago. We didn't do any of the things that I've seen on the videos that the girls do now. You know, we didn't do pyramids, we didn't do any of that kind of thing. So it's really, it's now more a sport I think for them certainly than it was for us. While three out of the six original team members were able to relive the glory days, they also noted how hockey cheerleading has evolved since their days on the ice. For a brief period, cheerleading disappeared from the BSU campus only to return because of a former member of the cheer squad who decided to volunteer her time and energy to restore the pride. I wanted girls to have the same chance that I had to do something that I loved and to give them that same experience if not a better one. For the team, this milestone weekend was also a lesson in history and understanding the roots about where their team came from. Roots somewhere and knowing where you came from and how far you've come is very important. I mean, we try and instill the tradition of beaver hockey into every cheerleader that goes through our door. The team captains feel that their future is bright and they are excited to lead through school spirit. We have to keep our spirits up even if we're losing. It's hard because it's sad that we're losing but you got to keep going, keep the crowd going, be positive. With the tradition re-established, these girls hope to inspire the next generation echoing their love for their school and sport. In Bemidji, Josh Peterson, Lakeland News. Over the weekend Bemidji State paid tribute to both hockey cheer and beaver hockey alumni. If you enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax deductible contribution to Lakeland PBS.