Let’s hear it for Cheer Expo

As the 2015 Cheer Expo: Cheer and Dance National Championships approaches, teams from Halifax are perfecting their routines, but their reasons for being involved in the sport extend beyond the competition level.

For many of those involved in cheerleading, the sport is much more than just shaking pompoms and cheering on other sports teams.

“People tend to associate cheerleading with the ‘ra ra ra’,” says Brighton Rideout, a member of Cheer Extreme All-Stars. “I have friends that came to one of our competitions who had never seen cheerleading before and had this misconception about it. After they see what we do they said ‘I have so much more respect for you after seeing how hard you guys work.’”

While there is cheering involved, cheerleading actually combines a number of different activities into a singular activity.

“What cheerleading brings compared to other sports, in my opinion, is gymnastics, dance, acrobatics, tumbling and it combines them all into a team event,”’ says Erica Royal, owner of West Halifax Cheer.

Royal adds that because of the inclusive nature there is a spot for everyone on a cheerleading team, no matter their skill level or area of interest.

“It’s so inclusive of everybody, in comparison to so many other sports that are more niched,” she says. “For example, there are people who are really good dancers, but aren’t strong at tumbling [and] we still have spot for them.”

This is something that athletes and parents like about the sport as well.

“You can be yourself and not be judged,”says Katie Fyfe of West Halifax Cheer. “When you get new skills everyone cheers for you and everyone is happy for you.”

Shawna Williams has two children involved in Cheer Extreme All-Stars. She says, as a parent, she finds cheerleading offers many characteristics she wanted an extra-curricular activity to have.

“From the parent perspective, my oldest tried everything [like] ballet and gymnastics and we found cheer helped her socialize and it was a team commitment,” she says. “It was still very athletic and she was getting the physical activity that we wanted to her to get from this.”

Along with being a social, team-building and athletic sport, cheer also teaches athletes other skills, like how to work towards and set goals.

“I have little kids who are five-years-old who are determined they are going to get their tumbling skills and they set those goals,”says Royal.

As for Cheer Expo, those involved find that the event expands on what was mentioned by simply by being larger.

“It’s more exciting; I like competing against other teams you don’t normally get to compete against which is kind of cool,” says Fyke, who notes that the expo also offers, among other things, classes and workshops for athletes.

Competitions like the expo also gives the public a chance to see what the teams have been working on, which in turn gives them a way to join in on the sport.

“At the event, our teams, fans and other teams are cheering you on as well,” explains Rideout. “They’re [the fans] not competing, but in a way they’re part of it.”

Regardless of whether the teams are competing against each other, practicing a new routine or being cheered on by fans, one thing is clear. Cheerleading is something that brings people together.

“It’s a home away from home,” says Williams.

The 2015 Cheer Expo will be held from March 27 to 29. Details on the event can be found at www.cheerexpo.com.