London

London Ont., cheerleading squad to spring on to the world stage

The city’s London Heat Cheerleading senior squad is in full training mode as it prepares to compete on the world stage later this month.

Squad's routine features stunting, tumbling, jumping and dancing — but no cheering!

Jamie Matte, front centre, is the program director at London Heat Cheerleading and head coach of 5 Alarm. The senior team is standing behind her. (Hala Ghonaim/CBC)

The London Heat Cheerleading senior squad is in full training mode as it prepares to compete on the world stage later this month.

For the second year in a row, the team dubbed "5 Alarm" earned itself a spot in the Cheerleading Worlds, an international championship held in Orlando, FL., between April 27 and 29.

"Worlds is the biggest competition you can get to for cheerleading and it's the major goal for almost every athlete in our program," said Jamie Matte, program director at London Heat Cheerleading and head coach of 5 Alarm.

Last year, the team endured an injury on its first day of competition. This year, it's back and hungry for the title — or at least a spot in the final 15. There are about 65 teams competing in the senior division.

The team is made up of 19 female athletes between the ages 13 and 18. (Hala Ghonaim/CBC)

Matte said the team ramped up its training schedule and competitive drive this month.

Its two and half minute routine includes stunting, tumbling, jumping and dancing — but no cheering.

Matte said the London gym has removed the "cheer" from cheerleading to focus more on athleticism.

'A lot of hard work'

The team is made up of 19 female athletes between the ages of 13 and 18 who all train year-round.

This month, the athletes increased their hours of practice from eight to 12 hours a week. 

During practice, the girls are often watched by a live audience or videotaped in order to increase pressure and better prepare them for the competition.

The team is ramping up its training schedule in order to better prepare for the international competition at the end of the month. (Hala Ghonaim/CBC)

"It's a lot of training, work, sweat, tears, but we do it and it's fun and we push each other. We work as a team," said 17-year-old Caitlyn Baete, who's attended the gym since she was three. "The coaches push us so hard. It's really fun, it's a good time."

"It's a lot of hard work," added Stella Cribar, 15. She admitted some aspects of the routine were challenging at first.

"But, I don't get that nervous anymore," she said. "You trust each other so much that you know nothing bad could ever happen unless there's an issue."

No more 'cheer' in cheerleading

Baete said some of her friends used to think the sport was all about "pompoms," — but it's not.

"It's athletic … it's strong and powerful," she said.

Over the last 15 years, the sport has been completely restructured, said Matte.

CBC visited the team during a practice leading up to the Cheerleading Worlds in Orlando, FL.. (Hala Ghonaim/CBC)

"It's not the same cheerleading you saw on the sideline of football games … now it's all focused on competitions. We don't go cheer for anyone. The cheer section has completely been taken out and now it's more tumbling and stunting-based," Matte explained.

"It's really changed from a sideline entertainment to its own sport and its own competitive edge," she added.

Matte supports the changes that have granted athletes more recognition and appreciation.

"It's important that they know that they're acknowledged for the sport that they do and not just 'oh we're cheering for somebody else'," she said.

Challenges and misconceptions

Despite a step in the right direction, Matte said there's still a long way to go.

Back in 2017, the International Olympic Committee voted to include the sport among the provisional Olympic categories, which means the sport could become part of the Olympic Games in the future.

"We have more room to grow to get our Olympic status," said Matte.

And vying for that official status isn't the only challenge the sport faces, Matte said, there remain many misconceptions attached to cheerleading.

London Heat Cheerleading is located at 2946 Bateman Trail. (Hala Ghonaim/CBC)

She said athletes are sometimes stereotyped as "snotty, high school girls … and bullies" based on fictional characters in some television shows and movies.

"We have so many girls of different everything — different sizes, different heights, different ages, different races. We all get together and there's no bullying," Matte said.

"We are an inclusive sport."

The team will be Orlando later this month to attend the Cheerleading Worlds at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. 

London Heat Cheerleading is hosting an auction between April 7 and 13 to help pay for travel expenses.