Premier Academy Cheerleading finishes season with three banners

Image submitted: Premier Academy Cheerleading & Tumbling Bonnyville’s junior team celebrates a first place finish at their final competition of the season.

Bonnyville cheer teams put the finishing touches on their competition season.

Premier Academy Cheerleading & Tumbling celebrated their final competition of the season at the Alberta All-Star Cheer Extravangza in Edmonton over the weekend.

Premier Academy’s four teams each placed in the top four, including one first-place finish for the junior team out of six teams.

Three teams hit zero, which means the team completed their routine without any stunt falls, tumbling touchdowns or any other safety deductions.

Results

Tiny team “Team Scorchers” : 2nd place (hit zero)

Mini team “Team Flicker” (ages 6-8): 4th place

Youth team “Team Fever” (ages 9-11): 3rd place (hit zero)

Junior team “Team Smoke” (ages 10-13): 1st place (hit zero)

“All my teams have done really great. We’ve come home with a banner with our first, second, and third place finishes from almost every single competition event we’ve been to,” said Coach Melissa Kirkendall.

“It was a big one for us to come home with three banners.”

Premier Academy is beginning registrations soon for next year and the number of cheerleaders is growing quickly.

“We started last season with 29 athletes in the gym. And currently right now we have 170,” said Kirkendall.

“We grew big time.”

Next year, they expect to have two tiny teams, two mini teams, a youth team, a junior team, and a level two team.

Plus, they are hoping to have a special needs team and adults team comprised of parents and others interested.

“We had 20 adults that were started this season… we didn’t perform anywhere this season. So we’re hoping that they’re going to perform three times next year.”

The idea for a special needs team comes after a local performance at a high school.

“One of the teachers came up to me and said that a couple of her special needs girls were in tears that they were just so moved by the cheerleading performance and that they wish they could do something like that.

“We just decided to give it a try. We’re going to get in contact with the Special Olympics here in Bonnyville and see if we can team up and go from there with it,” said Kirkendall.

Kirkendall added she isn’t sure how many special needs teams there are in the province.

“We’re really excited for next season, this is season three. So with that huge growth from 29 to 170, we’re really excited for what season three holds for us,” said Kirkendall.

For those interested in registering, forms are on the Premier Academy website or they can call at 780-826-4508.