Cheering for first

Image: Cold Lake’s The Hawks & Bonnyville’s Flicker 

Local cheer teams bring home first place finishes in Alberta’s largest cheer competition

Teams representing Cold Lake’s Cheer Force Jets and Bonnyville’s Premier Academy of Cheerleading & Tumbling have brought home first place finishes at Western Canada’s largest cheer competition, Cold Snap Classic.

The Hawks, from Cold Lake, and Flicker, from Bonnyville, hoisted the top place banners following this past weekend’s competitions.

With just about 200 teams in attendance at the Cold Snap Classic, Viola McNeil, head coach of the Cheer Force Jets says she’s very proud of the club’s achievements.

“Our mini team, the Hawks, placed first in their division!” On top of the first place banner, the Hawks ‘hit zero’, meaning they had no safety or fall errors in their routine causing for zero deductions. The junior team, the Hornets, placed 4th in their division, added the coach.

Melissa Kirkendall, head coach of Premier Academy explained their minis, Flicker, placed first out of eight teams in their division,”They killed it!”

The other two teams, Fever & Scorchers placed fairly well at the event. “We had a couple bumps and a couple falls, but they fought hard.”

The tiny team, Scorchers, placed 7th, the youth team, Fever, placed 5th and the junior team, Smoke, placed 8th.

A cool achievement for the Scorchers is they ‘hit zero’ in their routine. “That goes to show the type of competition that was at the event,” boosted Kirkendall.

Premier Academy is also home to an adult team. “They are doing it for fun, right now. We have a competition in Red Deer in February and they’re performing.”

The adult team will not be competing in Red Deer, it will strictly be a fun performance, explained Kirkendall.

 

The Cheer Force Jets have grown quite a lot over the past year, said the coach. “We have over 80 kids, last year we only had 15.”

McNeil wanted to note that cheering is a unisex sport and there are five boys who compete with the club.

Also cheering with Cheer Force are the Tutors, aged 3-5 years old.

These young stars stayed home for Cold Snap, but did compete in Lloydminster earlier in the season. In Lloydminster, all three Cheer Force Jets teams placed first. The club also took home three specialty awards; the Tutors earned an energy award, the Hawks an enthusiasm award, and the Hornets a spirit award.

You can spot both clubs in the community at various events from time to time. The Cheer Force Jets will be at the Cold Lake Home & Leisure Show, and Premiere Academy says to watch their Facebook Page for an upcoming community night when the competitive season is done.

Both clubs will be competing on February 23rd in Red Deer for the Red Deer Cheer & Dance Challenge.