Woodstock teen ready to cheer on the national stage

Lola Foster and her Limelight cheerleading team head to nationals in Niagara Falls

By Jim Dumville – Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Woodstock High School student Lola Foster has travelled a lot to pursue her passion as a cheerleader.

She will make her most extended trip this week as Lola and her Limelight cheerleading team from the Capital City Elite gym in Fredericton head to Niagara Falls, Ontario, to compete at the Nationals.

Lola’s Limelight, competing at the Open 3.2 level, is one of four Capital City Elite teams heading to Nationals.

Glamour will compete in U16 Level 2, Glitz in U16 Level 1, and Showstoppers in U12 Level 1.

After nine years as a competitive gymnast with River Valley Gymnastics, Lola’s mother, Hayley, said her daughter decided to try cheerleading in the summer of 2021.

Unfortunately, with no competitive cheerleading teams at Woodstock High School or the local community, Lola’s only option was 100 kilometres away in Fredericton.

She joined the Capital City Elite gym and made the two-hour return trip twice a week to train and practice with her teammates in Fredericton.

The effort paid off, with the Limelight making a mark on the provincial level over the past two years, earning the trip to Nationals. They flew out to Niagara Falls on April 14.

Lola joined the Capital City Elite gym in 2021 but didn’t compete at an in-person event until March 22, 2022, after the lifting of COVID protocols. The Limelight placed second.

This year, Lola and her Limelight teammates caught fire, taking home first place in their category at Provincials and earning the Judge’s Choice Award and Best Choreography Award.

Lola is excited to head to Niagara Falls as the squad puts in the hard work and practice time needed to prepare for the national stage.

That included an Easter weekend dedicated to perfecting their routine.

While cheerleading uses some gymnastics skill sets, Lola said it’s a significantly different sport. She noted that cheering is highly focused on working as a team.

“I’m probably more nervous in cheerleading,” Lola said. “If you mess up, you let the whole team down.”

She said the Nationals is a two-day competition in which each team performs the same routine twice before judges.

Lola is confident she and her teammates will rise to the challenge in Niagara Falls. She also knows her experience at the Capital City Elite gym was worth the long road trips, dedication and many hours of practice.

She’s looking forward to performing on the biggest stage to date.