The wait is almost over for 17 cheer athletes from Regina.
The group from Boss Athletics has been selected to represent Canada in the upcoming ICU World Cheerleading Championships taking place April 20-22 in Orlando, Florida.
Boss Athletics has been a gym for four years. This will be their first time sending a team to Disney World.
“We’ve come a long way since we’ve opened the gym and we’re just really excited and proud to represent Canada and have our brand out there on the world stage,” said co-owner Carley Weisbeck.
The Regina team was formed last August and only found out in January they had been selected for worlds.
It submitted a video audition of their routine to Cheer Canada. From that they were selected to don the red and white. Coach Dani Anderson says putting on the Canadian colours almost brings a tear to her eye.
“To represent team Canada with a bunch of athletes who just got together this year and created a bond — it’s really special to see how far we’ve come in such a short time,” said the coach.
In Orlando the team will be participating in the Performance Cheer Pom Team Division.
Their competition will have 15 teams hailing from Japan, Finland, Brazil and England, among others.
A top 10 finish after day one would move them to the day two finals.
The team feels confident with their two-minute, 30-second routine, having won all their local competitions this season.
21 year old Javin Ames-Sinclair explained how he and his teammates are balancing the excitement of heading to worlds with the nerves of putting on a perfect performance.
“It’s all about practice, knowing the routine, knowing our teammates, knowing that we all trust each other to put out a great performance.”
Over the weekend they will have a friends and family showcase in Regina for folks who aren’t able to see them in-person in Florida.
The team will be travelling together, with their flight leaving on Monday.
“The hype levels are even more intense considering none of us have traveled in so long. A lot of the athletes and coaches have never been (to Florida) so it’s really, really exciting,” said Weisbeck.
Even if they don’t win it all, the team will be spending a few days on the rides at Disney World.
Either way, they’re going to end up having an unforgettable experience representing Canada on a global stage.