Local Cheer Teams Bring Home National Championships
A couple weeks ago I noticed a lot of posts on Facebook concerning some great performances and results by some groups of cheerleaders from the East Texas area. I learned later that the groups belong to Extreme Cheer based in Lufkin. I asked a friend of mine (Becky Adams) to provide me with some details and pictures. She wrote the following story for me and provided the pics....thanks, Becky!!
Exteme Cheer is a local competitive cheer gym here in Lufkin. On February 16th & 17th, 2013 they sent five All Star Cheer teams to compete in the National Championship Competition held at beautiful Moody Gardens. Four out of five of those teams won National Champions!! There were over 180 teams competing that weekend—one team came all the way from Alaska!!
The breakdown of how the teams did:
Extreme Cheer has two dance teams the Hip Hop team placed 4th and the Jazz team placed 2nd!
The Tinys are ages 3-5 they are a show team and go just for the experience!
The Minis are under 8 years old they placed 3rd.
The Youth 2 team, the Junior 2 team, the Junior 3 team and the Senior Coed team all won National Champions!!
Extreme Cheer also had a very special girl recognized at the National Championship competition. Our very own, Corby Duvall received the IEP award!! This award recognizes a cheerleader with exceptional Integrity, Enthusiasm and Passion for the sport!! Corby has been fighting Histiocytosis which affects 1- 200,000 children born in the United States. Corby has recently found out that her illness which had been in remission had come back. She actually postponed beginning her chemotherapy so that she could participate in this competition. That is dedication!!
We have kids from Lufkin, Nacogdoches, Huntington, Zavalla, Hudson, Wells, Central, Diboll, Groveton, Crockett, Corrigan and Central Heights that have come together to make up these awesome teams!!The local schools have taken advantage of the experience that our girls and boys have learned. The two co captains for Lufkin High school were just name and both are Extreme Cheer girls—congrats to Ashlyn Coleman and Mikalea Neal!!
Extreme Cheer has been training and competing for four seasons and has had multiple Championship wins each year. Owner and coach Kristy Johnson Parker works hard to create a family atmosphere. The girls have fun while working hard to get their routines down. For example the last practice before this National competition, she had all the kids bring glow sticks and they did their routine in the dark!! She feels that it is important for the kids not only be great cheerleaders, but also great teammates!! She is very clear about not being negative and focusing on your own best!!
The belief at Extreme Cheer is summed up in Philippians 4:13. “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me”!!
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