Shropshire Star

Dallas, Denver and now Telford! Academy joins ranks of leading US cheerleading programme

An American cheerleading group has chosen a Telford-based academy for its flagship international location.

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The Telford group are given the surprise announcement. Picture: JPAD media

Cheer Athletics has bases in 12 cities across the United States including Austin, Dallas, Pittsburgh, Denver and St Louis.

Now the company has chosen The Cheerforce Ten Cheerleading and Dance Academy in Telford to become its first location outside the USA.

Launched in 2011 in Telford - teaching children and young adults of all ages and ability - the CheerForce Ten Academy has claimed hundreds of regional and international titles, including numerous awards recognising their outstanding contribution to sport and physical activity.

They are currently silver world champions following their performance at the Cheerleading and Dance World Championships in 2022.

Now the academy will take up the name Cheer Athletics and Dance Athletics.

Cheer Athletics

Rachael Smart, programme director at Cheerforce Ten, said: "It's a Cinderella story really, a pinch yourself moment.

"I'm constantly on the phone to my parents at the moment, excited about it since we found out.

"For us, this new relationship means we can provide the best of the best in terms of coaching, opportunities and resources to the athletes we have and new ones coming on board."

She added: "We teach from the age of three up to adult, so to have this wealth of resources from the best in the world brings so much in terms of opportunity It opens so many doors for people to be the best of themselves.

"Our American counterparts will be sending coaches to work with us and we will be sending coaches to work and learn from them.

"For Telford and the West Midlands, it's huge as well. The opportunities it will create in the leisure industry can be big. It's wonderful for leisure in Telford to have worldwide hub on the doorstep."

The new Cheer Athletics Telford has launched three camps as a result, with special guest instructors, Derrick and Victoria Jackson, from Plano, Texas and Vittorio Luciano, from Denver.

They will hold an in-depth learning experience of running/standing tumbling, jumps and a dance athletics on May 6-7.

Find out more at cheerathletics.uk/telford