Sign up for the battlefordsNOW newsletter

Local cheer teams showcase their skills

Apr 30, 2016 | 4:00 PM

When most people thinking of cheerleader’s pom-poms, football games come to mind, but a recent event is showing another side to the activity.

 An All-star cheerleading event was on display at the Field House in North Battleford Saturday April 30.

“In the cheerleading world there are two different streams of cheerleading,” said Lesia Rathje, owner and operator of Cheer Legacy Athletics in North Battleford. “There’s school cheerleading which would be high school or university and then there’s all-star cheerleading.”

All-star cheerleading are clubs that offer classes and teams, away from school. Clubs like Cheer Legacy Athletics do not go to sports games, they train year-round for competitions.

“School cheerleading is more pom-poms and signs and getting the crowd to cheer,” said Rathje who also coaches the cheerleading team at Jean Paul II High School in North Battleford. “Even the JP 2 Crusaders team go to football games but they also move on and compete.”

Rathje seems to be running a pretty successful program. The Crusaders went undefeated this season, topping it off by winning an international competition in Vancouver. Her CLA teams placed second and third in a few competitions and one team had a “hit zero”, which means they had a flawless routine.

Rathje has been putting on this showcase for five years. “We compete all over Canada.”

“Parents usually travel with the team but the rest of the family can’t. We put this showcase on so that aunts and uncles and grandparents can come and see what their nieces, nephews and grandkids are doing.”

According to Rathje this was by far the biggest turn out yet with roughly 300 people in attendance.

Right now there are four teams running out of Cheer Legacy Athletics ranging from five years of age to 18. Rathje is looking to add an adult team so that anyone can join, even if they are 65.

For more information click here. 

 

 

ghiggins@jpbg.ca

@realgreghiggins