Cheerleading squad really has something to cheer about
A squad of cheerleaders from the Twin Tiers plans to bring some ice to sunny Florida this weekend.
A team of youth known as Ice Storm, part of Intensity Cheer Elite at the Arnot Mall in Big Flats, will be in Tampa on Saturday and Sunday for the D2 Summit, a national championship for competitive gyms with 124 or fewer athletes.
Ice Storm has 13 members, 12 girls and one boy, between the ages of 10 and 14, and is led by head coach Ashley Kennedy and assistant coach Sharon Klimpel.
Kennedy has been molding the team for four years and believes they are ready for the big time.
"In cheerleading, there are levels 1 through 6. We are level 3, so we're right in the middle. We’re not beginners but not advanced," Kennedy said. "We had to go to a (regional) competition in Massachusetts in January. When we won our bid in Massachusetts we competed against 55 other small gyms total to win the one D2 Summit bid they were awarding.
"While in Tampa competing next weekend we are going up against 47 other teams," she said. "In order to make it to finals on the second day, we have to place in the top 15 on Saturday."
Ice Storm team members come from all over the Twin Tiers, including Elmira, Corning, Horseheads and Elkland, said Kennedy, who added she's fortunate to also have a group of very supportive parents, and youth who are willing to invest at least six hours a week practicing.
The D2 Summit is organized by Varsity Spirit, a Memphis, Tennessee-based company that promotes cheerleading events, and sanctioned by the U.S. All Star Federation, a not-for-profit organization that sets national standards for competition.
The federation also hosts the Cheerleading and Dance World Championship annually. That event aims primarily at more advanced competitors from larger gyms, and Varsity Spirit this year decided to develop a national championship for cheerleaders who were younger or considered less elite but just as competitive.
"Varsity Spirit felt like so many teams in levels 1 through 4 were not represented at Worlds. We realized smaller gyms need their own showcase," said Sheila Noone, vice president of public relations. "We'll have about 490 teams from across the country. They learn the value of teamwork, learning how to win — and lose — with dignity. We encourage teams to use safety guidelines, and build on their skills. We always stress perfection before progression."
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Ice Storm team members and their families will travel individually to Tampa, and the team has done extensive fundraising to pay for hotel accommodations and other expenses, Kennedy said.
It's definitely worth the effort and expense as just earning a spot in the D2 Summit is a big honor, she said.
"In previous seasons, we have attended one competition called U.S. Finals. It's a one-day national and that’s pretty high competition to go to, but as far as something like the D2 Summit, it’s like the Super Bowl of cheerleading," Kennedy said. "It’s the highest a small gym can attend. It’s definitely a huge deal."
Follow Jeff Murray on Twitter @SGJeffMurray.