National success for cheerleading team

Two and a half minute routine earns cheerleading academy third place.

CHEERLEADING: The Coolum State School cheerleading team competing at the national championships.

COOLUM State High School's level-two cheerleading academy team has danced, tumbled and jumped their way to third place at the All Star Cheerleading Federation's National Cheer and Dance Championships.

The team of eight was awarded third place after an impressive two and a half minute routine at the championships in Melbourne.

Year 8 student Chloe was a member of the successful team and said they were overjoyed with their results.

"It was really great. I felt that we worked very hard towards it and I feel like we deserved to get the place that we got," she said.

"We worked really well and we were really determined to get a place, so I was really happy when we got third."

Coach Jada Green trained the team for up to 10 hours a week to perfect the standout performance which Chloe said earnt them special mentions.

"I was confident in our coach's ability to construct the routine and I was pretty happy with it," she said.

"It wasn't too difficult to learn but like every other routine it took a while to get into your mind, but we did hit zero when we're performing which means we had no deductions, so we got a special award for that."

The 13-year-old said the team was nervous for the big competition, but their bond helped them pull through.

"It was exciting. It was also very nerve-racking, but it was a really good experience because I think we are a really good team and we help each other out when we perform so it doesn't make it as nerve-racking.

"We are all very close because we have to trust each other with the things that we are doing. We have to be confident that we can do it as a team."

Cheerleading academy co-ordinator Natasha Mari said the team had a lot of support.

"The level of commitment that's shown by the students that participate in our cheerleading academy and the parents support and also the coach's dedication to training both of the teams is just unwavering,' she said.

"They make the teams what they are and provide them the opportunity to achieve what they actually did."

Travelling to Las Vegas in February for the World Cheerleading Championships the level-two team won't be having a long Christmas break.

"Vegas is next year in February and we are going to perform there, and we are working towards that and training in the holidays," Chloe said.

"It's lots of commitment."