Young cheerleaders in the making

STRIKING A POSE: The group demonstrate skills learned at their three-day cheerleading clinic. They are (front row) Stevie Knowles, Ruby Nanna Kuru; (second row) Jaykayaar Wimutu-Muir, Nicki Graham, Lily Rolls, Casey Wilson, gymnastics coach Amy Baldacchino, Hannah Steele; and (on top) Briceus Reade-Hamilton, Ruby Dods. Picture by Rebecca Grunwell

A GROUP of girls have been testing their gymnastic prowess as part of Gisborne’s first cheerleading clinic.

Organiser Jaclyn Smith has had a lot of positive feedback from the budding cheerleaders and their parents, and would like to see it become a regular fixture on the after-school calendar.

Coach Claire D’Ath is from Hawke’s Bay, where she runs a cheerleading gym called Cheer Dynamix in Hastings. She said the girls were building up their repertoire to do stunt work, including some of the more daring moves that are part of the sport.

Cheerleading is a sport that combines gymnastics, dance, acrobatics and performance. There are regional, national and international competitions during the year.

Mrs Smith grew up in Australia, where she danced and did gymnastics. She started choreographing group routines for the Gisborne Gymnastics Festival 10 years ago.

“As the requirements for these groups are a mix of dance and gymnastics, it was a natural progression to add cheerleading stunts/acrobatics, and the kids and audience loved it.”

She coached the Gisborne Intermediate cheerleading team for a few years and was parents often told her how much the children loved it.

Now, with the help of gymnastics coach Amy Baldacchino, she is running her first cheerleading clinic. It helps to have more than one spotter for the trickier moves, she said.

“We work well as a team, as she is a much better gymnast than me and I’m better at group choreography and teaching cheerleading.

“We are also best friends and share a passion for the sport. Like me, she wished there was an cheerleading option as you grow up.

“She is assisting Claire to coach the cheerleading stunts and as a back spot when needed. She is also coaching the tumbling.

“A few of the kids have gained new tumbling skills during the clinic, which is so cool to see.”