BCA Nationals – Time to Shine

Aviator Allstars prepared for possibly the longest day in the cheer calendar on Saturday 30^th March – BCA Nationals. With the coach setting off at an eye-watering 5am, not due to return to Leeds until 2am, the Harrier Jump Jets, Skyhawks, Spitfires and F-35 Lightning were prepared for an extremely long day. This was the program’s first venture as a whole to BCA, and the team had a great sense of anticipation and curiosity about this new venture! Each team was to compete twice on the same day for a cumulative score.

Harrier Jump Jets took to the floor first in Mini Level 1. They wowed cheerleaders, parents, and other spectators alike with a fierce routine, top end skills, and you could have been forgiven for thinking you were witnessing a youth team, or a much bigger team than just 6 girls! They did a fantastic job and finished the first round in 2^nd place, to the huge pride of their parents. The coaches were seen hugging all the Harrier Jump Jets like “proud parents” themselves.

Aviator Harrier Jump Jets at BCA Internationals 2013

Next to take to the floor were Skyhawks. This team, an amalgamation of the Senior Level 2 Hurricanes, and Junior Level 3 Falcons, were set to wow their audience in the biggest division of the day with a highly skilled and challenging routine, complete with top end performance skills and confidence. These girls didn’t disappoint! They brought to the floor a clean routine and were very pleased to finish the first round in 2^nd place.

Skyhawks at BCA Internationals 2013

Spitfires followed next, competing in a tough co-ed 4 division. Spitfires first routine was not flawless, but the skills wowed the watching audience nonetheless. Double based libs, round-off back-handspring rewinds, twisting transitions and dismounts, and a strong dance secured Spitfires 2^nd place after round one.

Spitfires at BCA Internationals 2013

When F35 Lightning took to the floor, you could sense the excitement. This team were showcasing their Worlds routine in public for the very first time, and as BCA representatives for 2013 the Ladies of Lightning were determined to do their very best, to show why they had been picked. The first routine went well, but Lightning have exceptionally high standards for themselves and would not have been happy with anything less than perfect. However, the audience were suitably impressed and the girls were inundated with compliments after their first routine from kind spectators. After a session on BCA’s practice mat, the girls felt a lot happier and confident that their second showcase would be a bigger success.

F-35 Lightning at BCA Internationals 2013

 

The second round came, and Jump Jets took to the floor once more. If possible, this routine was even stronger than the last! Beautiful smiles, excellent flexibility, facials to shame some of the senior teams, and an excellent pyramid! These girls may be small, but they are skilled little ladies and definitely ones to watch to be future Aces, Lightning and Raptors!

Aviator Harrier Jump Jets at BCA Internationals 2013

Aviator Harrier Jump Jets at BCA Internationals 2013

Skyhawks continued the improvements and put out a cleaner routine than first time round! The confidence and determination of these girls to do their best was infectious and everyone was dancing around and clapping by the time the girls got to their dance.

Aviator Skyhawks at BCA Internationals 2013

 

Spitfires wowed the crowd once more, and bettered their first performance by hitting their difficult lib section much cleaner, and displaying their stunting skills in an incredibly difficult pyramid sequence! The support of the crowd was brilliant and displays why AV are such a strong family.

It was time once more for Lightning to take to the floor, showcasing their All-Girl level 6 routine. This time round, after a brilliant warm up, the girls displayed excellent stunting – level 6 mounts and dismounts, twisting transitions, gauntlets, thigh stand pyramids, high towers, super high skilled baskets and twisting tumbles aplenty. They more than proved that they deserved that spot on the Worlds roster, in 4 weeks time! We wish them the absolute best of luck!

Aviator F-35 Lightning at BCA Internationals 2013

 

Results were exciting as all the teams waited to find out whether they had managed to hold on to their top spots. BCA were only announcing first, second and third place, even in the very large divisions, so a mention was what everybody was aiming for. Thankfully, nobody was disappointed as Harrier Jump Jets, Skyhawks, and Spitfires were not only presented with beautiful Silver plates, but each received a bid to the US Finals event in Virginia, USA in May 2014!

Aviator Spitfires at BCA Internationals 2013

Aviator Skyhawks at BCA Internationals 2013

Well done to ALL the teams that competed this weekend – we are so proud of all of you and feel so privileged to have every single athlete as part of this program. Well done for your amazing sportsmanship, stamina and hard work – this is what makes Aviators special. Bring on Jamfest Europe!

-Kelly Loughlin

 

Aviator F-35 Lightning at BCA Internationals 2013

Aviators at BCA Internationals 2013

 

BCA Nationals 2013

This gallery contains 36 photos.

Photos of Aviator Harrier Jump Jets (mini 1), Skyhawks (Senior 2), Spitfires (Coed 4) and F35 Lightning (All Girl 6). With thanks to Laura Snape, former F35 athlete for the photos of Lightning’s practice mat.  

Worlds, a Trip Down Memory Lane

I’d like to share an article that one of our athletes, Emily Clayton, has written about our trip to Worlds in April.

 

“This year, our team got the opportunity to represent the UK and ICC and compete in the USASF Cheerleading and Dance World Championships. These are held in the Disneyland resort, Orlando, Florida every year. Aviator Spitfires are an International Open Co-ed 5 team, this division is one of the most fiercely competitive divisions with the likes of Spirit of Texas, Gymtyme Allstars and Top Gun as well as many other the top teams in the world.

Worlds With Spitfires 2012

Before flying to the USA we had a week of intense training where we all pushed ourselves really hard, gaining skills and confidence we didn’t think we could in such a short space of time.

 

When we finally arrived in sunny Florida we settled into our amazing villa and went on our first excursion to Wal-Mart, which was crazy! The rest of the evening was spent unpacking and splashing/playing volleyball in the pool.

 

We had the privilege of training with the fabulous Brandon Allstars, a world championship winning gym, it was both inspiring and tiring but we were motivated and pushed ourselves through the heat and sweat to make sure we hit our routine. The coaches and staff were super helpful giving us tips and techniques which made hitting the skills that little bit easier.

 

We got to meet the teams and watch them train. It gave me and many other athletes on my team goosebumps! The way they hit their skills and confidence when going into stunts, was so inspiring to see. This made the whole team more focused and determined to hit our routine as cleanly.

 

We explored Disney’s Animal Kingdom with our “Ride Buddy” on all the adrenalin rushing rides and went on safari. It was a chance for the team to bond and have fun away from cheerleading.

 

Friday, we watched the ICU Cheerleading World Championships and supported Team England and Team GB as many of our friends were in those teams and also to support the UK as a nation. They competed in Group stunt where they placed an amazing 6^th place and in partner Stunt 11^th. They all did amazing and proud to see amazing athletes from the UK come the places they did.

 

Worlds With Spitfires 2012

Saturday was our time to shine. Getting up early to relax and watch some of the amazing all-star teams at the USASF cheerleading world championships. Finally it was time to compete! Nerves were running high but warm up went amazing: everything was hitting and perfect which really gave us confidence.

 

The walk to the arena where we were competing was daunting, but we had a talk from our coaches who calmed us down and prepared us for what was a life time opportunity.

 

Time for Aviators to take to the floor!

 

We had a little fall in our pyramid which was disappointing because it was going so perfectly but still a massive success and we were all so proud of what we had achieved.

 

Sunday we had to make it the best we could and give it our all. Before we competed, we spent our time as a team, watched some of the amazing teams in our division and supporting some of the other British teams which were on before us. Then once again it was our time to go to warm up. This time was much more relaxed. We had an amazing warm up which then put us into the mood and get ready to work it out on the mat. We hit an amazing routine with a couple of falls but still had an amazing exciting time which showed in our performance.

 

Worlds With Spitfires 2012

After the competition was over we had time to relax around the pool, do some retail therapy and enjoy more theme parks. This was good for us because we then got to enjoy the time we had there and didn’t have to stress or worry about competing we were done, and made our country proud!

Worlds With Spitfires 2012 Animal Kingdom

 

On our last day we took a trip to Daytona Beach and stayed in a hotel over night ready for our flight home. We spent all day on the beach tanning (some of us got burnt because there was a cool breeze from the sea), but we had an incredible time stunting and tumbling in the sun and sand.

 

Overall the experience was amazing and I had the best time of my life with a group of people that made me feel comfortable and so loved, just like a family. I would personally like to thank Rachel Pearson, Tim Peffers and also Tina Pearson for being a mother to us all while we were away.”

 

Emily Clayton. Aviator Allstars Spitfires Athlete

 

One of my team mates, Niamh Borowski made this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYq_JzopOG8