THE fear of falling is just one of the obstacles that these cheerleaders have to overcome at their training sessions every week.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The East Coast Allstars cheerleading team perform stunts, dancing and tumbling at their training sessions to be competitive on the world cheerleading stage.
The team has impressed at the international level this year after a few standout performances.
In April, two teams from the Gateshead-based club travelled to America to compete against the some of the world's best.
Husband and wife coaching team Derrick and Kassi Turner took two 24-person teams to compete in two competitions - the Daytona Beach International Championships and the Cheerleading World Championships at Orlando Disneyworld.
The squad members range in age from 14 to 27 years, and trained about nine hours a week in the lead-up to perfect their routines.
At Daytona, East Coast snagged top spot in the level five all-girl final, as well as second place in the co-ed level five competition.
At the World Championships, the Ladybirds all-girls team placed seventh in level five, while the co-ed team, called the Eagles, were 10th.
Ms Turner said the club was continuing to grow from its humble beginnings six years ago.
She said cheerleading was growing as a competitive sport in Australia, with new members starting out with varying levels of ability.
"A few of the girls have come from a gymnastics background, but not as many as you would think," she said.
"Most of them start from scratch and we teach them the basics and build from there."
Ms Turner said a few of the girls had been with the club from the beginning, and she and her husband were proud that they were able to compete at the top level of the sport.
