Hurricanes finish second at Florida cheer event

TRURO, N.S. – As the old saying goes, when the going gets tough, the tough get going.

The Truro Hurricanes earned a silver medal on March 14 at the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) International All-star Cheerleading Championship in Kissimmee, Fla., in spite of all the distractions and fear surrounding the spread of COVID-19.

“It means so much to earn that silver medal,” Brylee

Yorke, a base for the Hurricanes, said. “It felt amazing to do it with my best friends.”

The Hurricanes finished just a tenth of a point behind Academia De Porristas Cheer Up, of Monterrey, Mexico, in the Small Senior 2 Division. Truro scored a 96.4, their highest points total of the season, and ran its two-and-a-half-minute routine flawlessly with no deductions.

“Our coaches always tell us to leave all problems at the door,” Yorke said. “We put everything aside and put our routine and teammates first.”

Cheer Royalty, also based in Monterrey, rounded out the podium.

The two-day event, which attracts teams from across the globe and was held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, was cut down to one day as a precaution to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Only family members of the performing team were permitted in the viewing area in an effort to reduce person-to-person contact.

The event went ahead as word came down last week that Walt Disney World would be closing its theme parks and the Canadian government urged those travelling abroad to return home as soon as possible.

Coach Sara Vidito said the circumstances were the latest in a series of setbacks the team has had to endure this season including injuries and changes to their routine.

“These girls have triumphed over all of the things that have stood in their way,” Vidito said. “We couldn’t be more proud of these young ladies for giving all they have, considering all they have been through. No matter the placing, we came here with a goal and they exceeded that with our highest score all season and they hit a clean routine.”

Many of the Hurricanes members were part of a Truro squad which recorded a thirdplace finish at the event in 2014 and returned in 2016 to place fifth.

The Hurricanes have claimed three wins this season throughout the Maritimes and are slated to finish their schedule April 18 and 19 at the Cheer Nova Scotia Provincials at Halifax Exhibition Centre.