KENTVILLE - With the first winning All-star team performance this season, Valley Cheer Athletics’ Youth Titanium certainly made their mark at CheerExpo in Halifax March 24 and 25.
The youth won their division, making a comeback from a day-one third placing; they also won the 2018 National Championship title and, with it, a paid bid to enter The One Cheer and Dance Finals in Orlando later this year. Day one started with a rough warm-up, a legality deduction and an overnight routine change – and just three minutes of on-the-mat practice before making it all happen on day two.
“You guys came together as a team and worked so hard. Every single one of your scores except tumbling technique increased,” said VCA coach Kaija Cashin Brown.
“You had your coaches in tears: we were so proud watching you perform your routine.”
CheerExpo is the largest cheer competition in Atlantic Canada, 15 years in the running, with more than 120 teams from clubs, schools and universities on the mats. That’s over 2,500 athletes, including the VCA five-team contingent.
The club’s Mini Braves – mostly six-year-olds – had a zero-deduction day one routine, despite changes and additional difficulty built in after their last competition several weeks ago. Scores improved the second day and they held on to a third-place finish in a tough division of teams with athletes at the top of the age bracket.
Junior Steel added a “step up” of difficulty to its routine in just two weeks, and it showed at CheerExpo. With a zero deductions day one and a score just 0.26 from third place, they went into day two short an athlete with the flu – meaning another on-the-fly re-work.
“They stepped up to the challenge and performed the best we have seen them all season,” said Cashin Brown.
“The timing was precise, the skills were better, those heel stretches! Another zero-deduction run in a very tough division.”
Junior Steel held its fourth place finish, including a zero deductions day two.
Senior Bulletproof had its best overall competition run of the season on day one, pulling things together for a zero deductions run and a third place hold into day two – just one point away from first place. Day two was another story, though, with a rough practice pre-mats and an injury. Deductions for stunt falls and an over-division lift height violation were, however, balanced by an Awesome Dance Award.
“You never stopped pushing or fighting, and you fought for everything in that routine instead of just walking away - and that is strength.” said VCA coach Megan Shepherd.
Senior Bulletproof finished in third place in its division.
Open Strike Force, a team of older athletes – many beyond high school, with demanding work and education commitments – made its second competition experience at CheerExpo. For some, this weekend’s competition will be their last after 10 years with the club - a milestone not lost on them, their teammates or coaches.
“It was with pride we watched some of our athletes finish their cheer career together on those mats,” said Shepherd.
“This is another one of those times we realize cheer is so much bigger than the routines they perform and the skills they learn: it’s the memories, friendships, lessons learned; and it’s us as coaches being able to watch them all grow up. It is so much more.”
Strike Force had zero deductions and a solid day two routine, with a great performance put in by team athletes; resulting in a second-place finish.
“Valley Cheer Athletics had an incredible weekend at CheerExpo Nationals,” said Shepherd, pleased with her Kentville-based club’s overall results.
“We had four out of five of our teams finish in the top-three of their divisions, receiving bids to The One Cheer and Dance Finals. And four out of five teams with zero deductions is equally as amazing
“Thank you to the athletes for giving it their all this weekend. You make us so proud and show everybody that Valley is a club that can hold its own.”
VCA also placed one athlete on Nova Scotia’s first provincial team. Following tryouts last summer, when over 60 athletes were on the floor looking for a place, Emma Taylor was selected one of the 24 to make the team. It made its debut at CheerExpo, in front of athletes’ families, home club teammates and coaches.
“The energy was incredible in the building, and you were a part of history,” Shepherd said.
