 April 24, 2010 -
By Lisa Gayle Grayson
Being the little engine that
could is never easy for a program that is fighting to get the name recognition
among the top dogs. Cheer Express has worked to change all of that this year.
The small gym from Tampa, Fla.,
may have only 87 athletes making up the program’s four all-star teams, but that has
not deterred Cheer Express from working its way to third place in this year’s USASF Nfinity Cup standings.
Considered the ultimate all-star
competition, this season-long race for the Cup is for any USASF/ISAF member gym.
It not only gives programs a ranking on a national level, but also on a global
scale as the goal is to compete for the highest point total of the season.
The winning coach will receive a free
trip to Worlds as well as the Cup the following year.
“Even if it doesn’t draw more
people in, we’re not looking to be huge, I just want these (cheerleaders) to get
the recognition for how hard they train and hours they put in,” said Kimberly
Dickenson, one of the Cheer Express coaches.
Cheer Express, in only its first
time vying for the top honors for the Cup, ended this season in third with 4,350
points sandwiched between larger and more recognized programs such as this
year’s winner Maryland Twisters Reign (4,940), Central Jersey All-Star 5 (4,735)
and fourth-place World Cup Cosmic Rays (4,295).
Upping a team’s score from week
to week can be strategized by coaches. Merely attending a sanctioned event earns
a program 10 points, but depending on where a team finishes – especially in
multi-day competitions –also rewards programs more points. Only a team’s top
seven scores from the competitive season, running Sept. 1st until the
final Monday before Worlds – will be counted in the final standings.
The secret to early success
for a program like Cheer Express’ Senior Silver, which competes as a Small
Senior All-Girl Level 5 team during its debut season in the Cup, is trying to
find a way to work the system. The formula behind moving up the rankings, in
spite of their size of gym enrollment, is a little more detailed.
This season marks the 4th
consecutive year Cheer Express has received a bid to Worlds, but it is the
first time the program has earned a full-paid bid. All of the past three Aprils
they made it to the finals.
“When we got our first bid, we
didn’t know what it was or where we were going,” Dickenson said. “We were like,
‘Yay! What’s this?’”
Six years ago a lead group of
five cheerleaders – Sabrina Mone, Alex Harris, Lexi Klym, Taylor Rowland and
Leah Miller – from Tarpon Springs were part of the original starting cast. Cheer
Express had only a couple of layouts, some tucks and more throwing fulls.
“It’s hard being a small gym,”
team member Leah Miller said. “We don’t have much to back us up. We’ve got our
20 (Level 5 cheerleader) to pick from. We’ve all taken it to heart and we’ve put
a lot into this, maybe more so than the larger gyms because we all have to be
versatile. I feel like that’s made us all stronger.”
The program has worked its way up
through the ranks with no pits to use for tumbling, shared a mat simultaneously
with another time at practices and has battled for time to play their music. All
four of their programs have crossovers or have required someone to step down at
various competitions to fill in for injuries or substitutions.
Still, the girls keep coming back
instead of jetting for a higher profile team.
“I wouldn’t want to leave because
I love having the personal relations with the coaches and the girls,” Kim said.
“I don’t want to be just a number at a big gym.” | 
