A new cheerleading program offered by Powell River Gymnastics Society (PRGS) will give children and youth the chance to dance, jump and stunt this September.
Classes, which encompass boys and girls ages six to 18, will be offered for both beginner and advanced levels. The beginner program “is for anyone who’s new to cheerleading,” explained Joyce Percey, executive director of PRGS. Beginners will practice basic lifts and jumps through performances in the community, such as school assemblies and track and field meets.
The advanced program will consist of those who participated in the cheer program’s test run last year, and will complete more advanced stunts and tumbling. “Our goal for them this year is to go to at least three competitions,” said Percey.
Though the team will be competing in the last two competitions, the first will be for viewing purposes only, to help participants become familiar with competitive cheerleading.
Percey emphasized that she didn’t want to limit newcomers to just the beginner group. “If there’s a keen kid who wants to move up, they just need to get the basic positions and form down pat and then they move on.”
Teaching the programs will be Jodi McKamey, a BC Lion’s cheerleading squad veteran with an extensive dance background. Natalie Vallee will work as assistant coach.
Classes are Tuesdays and Thursdays, with an optional tumbling class catered specifically to cheerleading also offered.
One of the things that has made these programs possible, explained Percey, is a collaboration with Duncan Dynamics Gymnastics. The Duncan cheer team even came to Powell River for five days in mid-August to work with the gym’s advanced group.
“It’s really nice to partner with that gym, because they’re one year ahead of us,” explained Percey. “They started competing for the first time last year, so we can get advice from them.”
Cheer seemed like the natural next step for PRGS because of the crossover between gymnastics and cheerleading, said Percey. “Cheer is everywhere right now, so it seemed like one of those things where it would be foolish not to get onboard.”
At the same time, cheer also offers a different perspective. “I think there’s different things to learn when you’re doing a team sport,” she said. “You’re still a team when you do gymnastics, but you’re not dependent on each other.”
Cheer, she continued, requires a large team commitment. “You’ve got to have everybody there healthy,” she said. “If there’s five people in a pyramid and one person’s not there, you can’t practice.” Those who sign up make a commitment from September to June.
“They become, of course, part of the gymnastics family as well,” added Percey. Program participants will perform in the year-end display and be involved in PRGS events.
In the future, Percey said the gym would like to expand its program to include the three- to five-year-old age group.
For more information, or to sign up for the program, readers can contact the society at 604.485.0520 or [email protected].
