THE SWINGING CHEERLEADERS

In order to write an article for the Mesa University college newspaper on how cheerleading demeans women, Kate (Jo Johnston) infiltrates the cheerleading squad. Only her boyfriend Ron knows about this. The other cheerleaders deal with their own problems: Mary Ann (Colleen Camp) struggles to get her promiscuous football player boyfriend, Buck (Ron Hajek), to propose to her; Lisa (Rosanne Katon) is having an affair with statistics teacher Professor Thorpe (Jason Sommers); and Andrea (Rainbeaux Smith) debates whether or not to stay a virgin. Kate has an affair with Buck, about which her boyfriend Ron confronts her; Kate says it was for the article and she doesn't like Ron like before. They break up.

Kate insists Andrea have a one-night stand with a stranger. Andrea has sex with Kate's ex, Ron. She insists on having more so Ron invites over friends. After Andrea shows up at her ex's door, he beats up Ron. Meanwhile, Kate uncovers unscrupulous dealings: the football coach (Jack Denton) and college dean (George D. Wallace) are rigging games to favor betting spreads that Professor Thorpe, who is also the bookie, arranges. Later, Prof. Thorpe turns against the coach and dean as they turn against their star quarterback, whom they want to convince to throw the game for a big payoff. When confronted, the quarterback refuses on principle and is arrested by university police, who plant a marijuana joint on him. The movie endorses defiance of authority, and questions the ideals of love and virginity.

Kate exposes the corrupt betting scheme involving the football coach, dean, and Professor Thorpe. The authorities retaliate against the star quarterback, but the film closes by endorsing defiance of authority and challenging conventional ideals of love and virginity.

The resolution delivers a satirical takedown of institutional corruption and the hypocrisy of authority figures, aligning the film’s sympathies with rebellious youth. By having the protagonist’s investigation lead to the exposure of rigged games and by questioning romantic and sexual norms, The Swinging Cheerleaders wraps its sex comedy in a layer of anti-establishment commentary. The ending suggests that challenging the system—and societal expectations—is not only possible but desirable.