By Colleen Flanagan, Maple Ridge – Pitt Meadows News
The cheerleading squad at Maple Ridge secondary has a lot to cheer about after winning two major championships at one event.
Not only did the 25-member team win High School Grand Champions for scholastic cheer at the inaugural provincials in Kamloops on April 13, but also a paid trip to the 2020 world championships in Orlando, Fla.
The Ridge team had to perform one two-and-a-half-minute routine twice. It was a combination of cheers, stunts and dance.
Team members have been preparing for the competition all year, practising a minimum of five hours a week, and during extended school breaks.
Rules are set out by a regulatory body that covers high school cheerleading across North America. Judging is based on difficulty, leadership and props, as well as crowd response, facial expressions and energy.
Lara Cooley, teacher sponsor for MRSS, said the competition was tight, but Ridge edged Argyle and Tweedsmuir.