For the first time ever, a cheerleading team from Saskatchewan has won a world championship.
The Rebels Cheerleading Athletics team Smoke, based in Regina, beat 28 other teams from around the world to win the International Open Level Five division at the Cheerleading Worlds in Orlando, Fla., on Monday night.
“It was honestly unbelievable. It was a dream come true,” said Rebels coach Eric Bestvater. “These girls have worked so hard and overcome so many obstacles with COVID-19 and shutdowns and everything over the last couple of years, so to get to this moment is truly gratifying.”
There were 18 other teams from Canada competing and only three from each country could move on to the second day of competition. The Rebels were on top of their division after the opening day, which was reason enough to celebrate.
“When we accomplished that, we already felt like champions,” said Bestvater.
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And then when the Rebels squad put together another solid routine in the final, they left it in the hands of the judges, who then awarded the Regina club first place.
“When we got down to the final two teams, we couldn’t even breathe,” said Bestvater. “And then when they announced us as world champions, I think I almost fainted. I just had an out-of-body experience.
“We were the first Saskatchewan team to ever qualify for finals and now the first Saskatchewan to ever take home first.”
Coming into the completion year, Bestvater said the team didn’t have any expectations but instead they just wanted to put the best routine together that they could. But as the season progressed, the coach said it was clear the team, made up of girls ages 14 and up, had something special going.
“Many of the athletes on this team have been cheerleading with our club for five, even 10 years,” said Bestvater. “I coached them when they were six or seven years old and for them to have the culmination of their journey end in a victory at worlds is unbelievable.”
Team Smoke was one of seven teams the Rebels had this year and Bestvater said he expects his club to have 10 groups next year. He hopes this world championship will lead to more progress in the sport, beyond his own gym.
“My biggest hope is that this brings more recognition to our sport and we can really see some growth, not just in our club but the sport in general,” said Bestvater. “I think that this sport is so rewarding. It’s such an amazing team experience.”
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