(Photo submitted)

By rdnewsNOW staff

first-time ever

Red Deer cheer team qualifies for world championships

Jan 28, 2020 | 5:14 PM

Premier Academy Cheerleading and Tumbling will be sending their Senior Level 6 team, Ivy League, to the 2020 Cheerleading World Championships.

They will be the first ever Red Deer cheer team to go to the world competition. The 17-member, all-girl team will be travelling to Orlando, Florida for the competition from April 24-26.

The athletes range in age from 12 to 18 and travel from all across central Alberta to meet their teammates in Red Deer for practice three times weekly.

Coached by Matt Wiggins and Riana Luck, the team has only been practicing together since September.

“Getting a bid to Worlds as a first-year team is something that we are incredibly proud of,” said Luck, who attributes the Worlds berth to the outstanding determination shown not only by the athletes as individuals, but also as a team.

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“It’s a competitive sport that has received very little attention in Canada as of yet, but with cheerleading posed to become an Olympic sport in 2024 that is about to change,” says Wiggins. “At level 6, the level which these girls are competing at, it’s a cross between high level tumbling and stunting, a combination of skills of many sports that requires multiple levels of training.

“These girls are focused, hardworking, strong and driven. We are up against some very tough competition in Florida, and these athletes will be working harder than ever to perfect their routine.”

Ivy League received the bid to compete at Worlds at the Cold Snap Cheer competition in Edmonton on January 26.

Ivy League’s bid winning performance at Cold Snap can be watched here.