Over 200 teams and 4,000 athletes came to Kitchener this weekend for a provincial cheering competition.
The event gives competitors the chance to win regionally and to advance to the world championships held in Florida.
The Ontario Championships have been hosted by Kitchener for the last decade, but have seen a spike in numbers.
“We’re looking at about 225 teams this year, whereas about five years ago we were hovering at around 160-170 teams,” said Marcy Kuzemchak, the event director for Cheer Evolution.
Local gyms like the Cheer Sport Sharks in Cambridge and Twisters Cheer Athletics in Kitchener have strived to foster a community around the sport.
“Having an event here just exposes all of the families in the K-W area to an amazing, fast growing sport,” said Ali Moffat, the co-owner of Cheer Sports Sharks in Cambridge.
“Now we're seeing other clubs come up in this area, within Fergus, as well as Kitchener, and there's definitely a friendly rivalry here,” said Kuzemchak.
Athletes at the event say they work tirelessly to compete in the championships, but at the end of the day the sport is about teamwork, having fun, and creating bonds.
“This year is the closest year I’ve been to my team,” said Emery Bunker of Cheer Sport Sharks. “We're really close.”
