Highflying cheerleader Hayley twists and turns to world championships

SUNBURY’S Hayley O’Callaghan has jumped into the spotlight as part of a pioneering Australian team at the cheerleading world championships.

Hayley O'Callaghan is heading to the US as part of an Australian cheerleading team for the world championships. Picture:Rob Leeson.

SUNBURY’S Hayley O’Callaghan is part of a pioneering Australian team in the little known but emerging sport of cheerleading.

O’Callaghan is part of the 19-strong Melbourne Cheer Academy International co-ed team to compete at the International Cheer Union World Championships in Orlando, Florida from April 25-27.

They will be the first team to ever represent Australia at the championships.

A dancer since the age of three and elite-trained circus exponent, O’Callaghan, 22, turned to cheerleading six years ago.

She describes the sport as a mix between dance, rhythmic and artistic gymnastics and aerobics.

“I just thought I’d give it a go but I found it everything I could imagine in performance and teamwork,” O’Callaghan said.

“It’s become a real love and my team who I have gone through a lot with is like family.”

Her club’s national championship win gave it entry to the world championships as an official Australian team, a sport seeking Olympic recognition. “To represent Australia is above and beyond anything we, as a team, have done up until now,” she said.

A routine of two-and-a-half minutes will incorporate choreography, dances, jumping, tumbling and stunts, with judges assessing each performance on skill and originality.

O’Callaghan travels up to four hours, four to five times, a week to attend training at Box Hill South.

She also coaches dozens of Sunbury and Macedon Ranges-based children in cheerleading as part of the Sunbury Signature Cheer and Dance club and school.

“The sport is massive and growing fast — at the Australian championships in Melbourne before Christmas, there were around 11,500 participants.”

In 2016, cheerleading was granted provisional Olympic status, giving the sport — which has more than 100 national federations — a shot at becoming an official part of the Games.

Hayley O’Callaghan is a 2018 Leader Local Sports Stars Senior nominee. CLICK HERE to nominate someone in your community. Local Sports Stars is supported by Sportsmart and Gold 104.3.