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Words of Cheer - Battle at the Border

And, they’re off! The cheerleading competition has begun with the 2nd annual Battle at the Border championship in Lloydminster.
This photo shows a stunt group where the top is doing a liberty,’ or ‘lib’ for short. The top enters
This photo shows a stunt group where the top is doing a liberty,’ or ‘lib’ for short. The top enters the stunt by propelling up from one foot on the ground, the other leg already in a grip. The bases lift on the gripped foot, and the top goes straight up into the one-leg hold. In level 3, the tops are earning additional points by doing a skill in that position. The lib ‘hits’ when the arms are in ‘high V’ and the free leg is bent at the knee and lifted high beside the supporting leg. The position is held and the top’s body demonstrates her flexibility, strength, and balance. Photo submitted by Rhea Good

And, they’re off! The cheerleading competition has begun with the 2nd annual Battle at the Border championship in Lloydminster. The Lloydminster Servus Sport Centre was shoulder-to- shoulder with crowds and approximately 1200 athletes on Saturday, Dec. 7. This competition is a season opener in the sport of cheerleading in Western Canada. Some teams were wearing team t-shirts and black shorts because their performance uniforms are not yet ready. 

The morning session featured 34 teams in levels 1-4 including the super-cute Mini Teams ages 3-5.  The afternoon session was an amazing show with 34 teams levels 1-5, but also including two level 7.0 teams from Alberta Cheer Empire (ACE) and three level 6 teams. Two level 6.0 teams were from Edmonton ACE, and Regina Rebels Cheerleading Athletics put a level 6.0 team on the mat.  These 6.0 and 7.0 level teams will be aiming for Cheerleading Worlds in Orlando, Florida, in April 2020.

Even though the Battle at the Border competition was technically in Alberta, running on Alberta time, the Saskatchewan Cheerleading Association was involved by providing judges and offering a bid to an international competition. The SCA bid was for the University World Cup Cheerleading Competition in 2020. The University of Saskatchewan Pom Team won this bid.

Coaches will be studying every team’s score sheet from Battle at the Border to devise how they can adjust choreography to improve their score at future competitions in the new year. Meanwhile individual athletes will continue to improve their skills for upcoming competitions.