Geelong cheer teams to take on the world

A SELECTION of our best cheerleaders and dancers are preparing to represent Australia at the world championships.

Cheer Geelong is set to send 26 athletes between the ages of 11 and 17 to Florida for the International All Star Federation World Championships on April 24-26.

Geelong will send a dance and a cheer team after winning a bid to join the competition in August.

Head coach and Cheer Geelong gym owner Kirralee Badham said the group had put their heads down in training in a bid to bring their best next month.

“The girls have been training long and hard through summer,” Badham said.

“It takes quite a long time and it’s very hard to get to worlds. Like any sport it’s fairly prestigious.

“People can underestimate how athletic what we do is. We have a very extensive training program with the tumbling and the stunts they do. It’s very athletic.

“We’re the only cheer-specific gym in the region. We have kids come from Colac, Tarneit, Bacchus Marsh, Altona. We well and truly represent the area.”

Parents and children in the team have started fundraising for the trip to the event, with the gym open to sponsorships to help out.

“We have all the same expenses as any other sport does,” Badham said.

“The girls have been working really hard to try and raise the money to go.

“We did run a fundraiser on Friday night, but we still are looking for sponsors that might help their trip.”

Anybody who would like to help can contact the gym by emailing info@cheergeelong.com