STARS A Royal Endeavour
F
ROM a mere 15 students in 2011, to 150 students in 2013, The Royal All Stars Cheerleading Academy has come a long way in just two years. Beginning their cheer journey at a Victorian leisure centre, the club has since gone on to open the first fully equipped gym in Melbourne’s City of Casey district. Head coach and former Australia’s DreamGirls member, Susan Cheo, says she has been overwhelmed by the club’s growth, which she believes is related to her perfection before progression mantra. “We try to build the foundation and fundamentals of a skill before an athlete can move to the next [cheer] level,” said Miss Cheo. “This is especially important as a lot of our students are brand new and have never done cheerleading before.” Currently, the club offers level 1 and 2 cheer classes, but will next year offer level 3 for advanced athletes. Many athletes are also encouraged to shadow current cheer coaches in order to instruct their own team in the future. Not only does this provide cheerleaders with career prospects, but Miss Cheo believes it helps students better their own skills. “Having junior students help teach classes not only grows their own skills, but also shows them how to become a dedicated [cheer or dance] coach. “This way, in the long run, we’ll always have coaches to contribute to both Royals and Australian cheerleading in general.” While the club strives to train up-and-coming coaches, Miss Cheo explains that the dedication of her current instructors has been exceptional. Some especially keen coaches have even introduced their own programs at the club, many that have been well-received by their local community.
Following the success of the special needs program at Victorian club Cheer Factor, head dance coach, Tamsin Oski, decided to implement a similar program for students of all ages. Currently there are four students aged between 12 and 21 years old in the free program, however this number is expected to rise with support from local schools and community groups. Miss Oski says the program has been very beneficial for students, especially with regards to self-confidence. “The confidence level of the students has definitely increased as when they came they came in they were quite timid and not sure about their surroundings,” explained Miss Oski. “But within three to four weeks they were running around, interacting with each other and having a go at everything.” The program begins by introducing athletes to the sport, and then gradually progresses to tumbling and basic stunting. Miss Oski says the students’ enthusiasm has been overwhelming, and some students will even transition into competitive teams in the near future. “Seeing their faces light up when they achieve a skill makes me feel really happy, as I am helping these people achieve things they didn’t think were possible. “There’s even one girl who is getting forward hand springs which is just amazing,” Miss Oski said. The club runs their special needs program every Friday night at their Narre Warren gym. For more information, contact Susan Cheo via email on info@royalcheerleading. com.au.
Australian Cheerleader Magazine t November 2013 25