ACE Of Atlanta wins national cheerleading title and all-paid bid to world championships

Over 850 teams from across the United States competed at the Georgia World Congress Center for winning titles in the 2010 edition of Cheersport National Cheerleading and Dance Championships.

The ACE of Atlanta Thunderbirds, from Peachtree City, are a level 5 co-ed all star team comprised of athletes from around the state of Georgia. The Thunderbirds competed against teams from North Carolina, Mississippi, North Atlanta, New Jersey and Canada and earned the first place national title. The team was also the recipient of one of only seven fully-paid bids awarded at the competition to attend the World Cheerleading Championships in Orlando, Fla. in April.

 The Cheersport National Championships are the world’s largest cheerleading and dance competition, with eight arenas and a squad competing every three minutes over two days. Teams are judged on the execution of their routines and the overall difficulty of the performance. Required technical skills include different categories of jumps, standing and running tumbling, tosses, pyramids and partner stunts.  All squads compete twice, with each performance score combined and weighted 50/50. 
 
“The Thunderbirds are all dedicated and talented athletes, who put in hundreds of hours perfecting a routine of extraordinary difficulty,” said Brandon Prince, ACE of Atlanta’s gym director and, along with Chris White, coach of the Thunderbirds. “We headed into the final day in the lead position and the arena was packed shoulder-to-shoulder with spectators waiting to see if we could pull off another virtually flawless performance.”  Coach Chris White said he was holding his breath.  “The Thunderbirds challenged themselves and walked away with a national title and a stronger team as a result.”

Cheer teams competing in select Level 5 and 6 cheer divisions were eligible to receive bids to the annual Cheerleading World Championships. Held at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, the televised event holds a prestigious global position. This year’s event will allow invited nationally-titled teams to compete against the most elite national and international teams Apr. 23-25.

“We couldn’t be more proud of the Thunderbirds,” added Happy Hooper, ACE owner. “Their routine, focus and attitude was perfect, and now they know what they can achieve as individuals and as a team.  We believe we are going to be a major contender at Worlds,” he said.