ASCENSION EAGLES COMPLETE ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL SEASON

Ascension Eagles culminated their 2008-09 season by competing at FutureCheer's largest National Championship to date, with over 11,000 passing through Brighton Centre over July 4th-5th.

Ascension Eagles two youngest teams – Youth Coed and Cheer Extreme – both placed second in their divisions. Ascension Eagles Mascot and Junior Coed teams both retained their National titles.

AEC Junior Coed member Rui Baptista, 14 Custom House, said, “AEC's Juniors have an unbeaten record in the Junior Coed division. We are proud to be able to retain the title and the legacy.”

Ascension Eagles Senior All Girl won second place in their tight division, to Academy Cheer from Wales. Ascension's team started training just five weeks before Nationals. Team member Oishin Lastrollo, 17, said, “Competing with AEC Senior All Girl, I felt like my passion for cheer has come back, stronger than ever before. It reminded me how good it felt to learn things from scratch and see yourself and your whole group progress. It's the most astounding feeling to earn something you have worked hard for. Along the way, I've also learnt that if you can't find the support you expect from everyone, you have to find it within yourself to carry on with what you do best.”

Ascension Eagles Senior Coed retained their National title, and were also named overall British Grand Champions, with the highest overall score at the event. Reigning champions since 1998, AEC Senior Coed hold the world record for the team with the longest consecutive retention of a national title.

In addition to winning Grand Champs, AEC Senior Coed also won the prestigious bid to the 2010 Cheerleading World Championships. Team member Patrick Asante, 21, said, “Every single one of the teams have stepped up their game and FutureCheer has become a real competition where everyone strives to beat their previous personal best. We are all competing to level standards within our immediate division, as well as with all those out of our divisions for overall Champs. All of our strongest competitors delivered excellent performances. The standard of British cheerleading just keeps improving -- winning Grand Champs has never been so sweet!”

Ascension Eagles teams are unique in that they are coached and led by members who have grown up within the AEC family. Founding member Mel Brown, now 20, coaches AEC's Cheer Extreme, as well as competes on both AEC Senior teams. Mel said, “Seeing the end product of all our coaching staff have worked for over the year – including seeing our kids be so confident and so polished – generated a feeling of pride that only comes with such a high level of achievement. It is impressive to see how much cheerleading has progressed in this country, and to be competing against such talented teams and to still be coming out on top is an amazing feeling.”

Reflecting on how it felt to compete, Mel said, “As well as feeling extremely nervous, I felt an extreme sense of pride knowing that some of the most important people in my life were by my side, pushing to reach the same goal. Thinking of all the amazing memories we have collected along the way make the hard work worthwhile.”

Ascension Eagles Senior Coed team will travel to Paris in September to compete at the ICU Pre-Olympic event. Cheerleading could be introduced as an Olympic sport in 2016. AEC Senior Coed also hopes to accept the bid to represent England at the Cheerleading World Championships in Orlando in April 2010.