Cheerleading coach Josh Coker at Bay Twisters with the Thunders. Photo/Stuart Whitaker
Cheerleading coach Josh Coker at Bay Twisters with the Thunders. Photo/Stuart Whitaker
Links between a Tauranga cheerleading club and a Western Australian choreographer look set to grow.
Choreographer Josh Coker, a Kiwi living in Perth where he has three cheerleading gyms, was in Tauranga last week putting the Bay Twisters cheerleaders through their paces.
"I am so impressed with the numbers hereand it's a very good standard. They are really hungry to learn and the response to the coaching has been really good," he says.
"I bring a certain flair through my choreography that has a fierce kind of undertone, and I think they have responded. I don't think they have done anything like that before."
Josh says he'd like to help Bay Twisters build their programme and help them to a new level.
Also part of the connection, Bay Twisters member Anna Grigson left with Josh at the weekend to be part of the Perth based Toxic Cheer Weapons team in the world championships in Florida later this month.
Josh introduced Anna to cheerleading after seeing her with her mum in the street in Pukekohe where he had the Red Hot Cheer gym, and suggested she might like to try it.
"It's thanks to him, where she is at today," says Anna's mum and Bay Twisters' manager Rebecca.
Josh had watched Anna's progress from afar and, when a member of his team for the worlds dropped out, he contacted Rebecca to sound her out about Anna being a replacement.
Rebecca got grant money from Pub Charities to bring Josh to Tauranga. "It's amazing because Josh has a wealth of experience in cheerleading and really thinks outside the box and offers something completely different to what a lot of the team have," says Rebecca. "The girls have really gelled with him."
* As previously reported Bay Twisters has outgrown its premises off Third Avenue West and are looking for a new home. A building needs about 300m2 of floor space and a high ceiling. If you can help call Rebecca on 021 191 6933 or email rebecca@baytwisters.co.nz.
