Ascension Eagles are 6th in the World - Best Coed team outside North America

WORLD RESULTS:

Ascension Eagles Cheerleaders (AEC) achieved their bid to compete at the 2008 Cheerleading World Championshipsby winning FutureCheer Nationals in July 2007. One of the first teams worldwide to win a 2008 bid, Ascension Eagles then embarked on a journey to equip and prepare 24 of their 100 members to represent the UKs 15,000 cheerleaders on the world stage.

Only the top one per cent of teams worldwide receive a bid to compete at Worlds; for Newhams Ascension Eagles, the invitation alone represents just how much this East End outreach project has achieved. Recognising this significant accomplishment, Development Securities and the Jack Petchey Foundation, along with a private foundation, helped the team meet the financial requirements for participating at Worlds.

After months of preparation, and nearly two weeks in the States, AECs 2008 World Tour is over. The team brought two new trophies back to the UK one to represent their ranking within their Small International Coed division, and the other to represent their status in the overall world of cheer.

In their division which started with 29 teams in Pre-lims and narrowed to 16 teams advancing to Finals -- they placed sixth, just .38 (one-third of a point) away from fifthplace, and seven points from third. USA teams captured the top three places, with Canada securing fourth and fifth place.

This makes Ascension Eagles the best Coed team outside of North America, a tremendous accomplishment as competition within the division was intense with outstanding teams from numerous South American countries, as well as from Europe, China and even Jamaica.

During their two-week tour, AEC appeared in the internationally acclaimed All-Star Cheerleader magazine, as well as in the Miami Herald, and surprisingly, in a beach documentary. Even more significantly, AEC were the featured cheer team on the cover of the Worlds program, sold to all the Worlds athletes, coaches and supporters. However,the greatest story is contained in this press release, written by AEC members.

Below is the personal account from members of Ascension Eagles International Coed team, as they share their reflections on their journey to Worlds, and all that they achieved.

We invite you to experience AECs moments on the World stage by visiting, www.iasfworlds.org. Under the Worlds bar, click on video coverage. Register and pay $9.99 once, and you can view all 588 worlds routines featuring 9000 world-class athletes as many times as you like in the year ahead.

Once you have logged in, the quickest way to find us is to put Ascension Eagles in the search bar and you can instantly view AEC in both pre-lims and finals. On the Most Popular routines, Ascension is in the top 50 (page 2) of the 588 routines.

The more times you watch us and share with others, the higher we progress up the viewing rankings! Be proud to show off this team you have helped to support! When you see the team in action, all the comments that follow take on even greater meaning.Its an incredible story and we are proud to share it with you.

The Ascension Eagles 2008 Worlds story, as told by members of the 2008 AEC England team.

I will never forget the feeling of waking up in Miami on the first day of our World Tour and knowing we were minutes away from Top Guns gym. Last year Top Gun were ranked number one in the world, but even before that official ranking, for years they've held the world champs title in our hearts.

Top Gun coaches Kristen and Victor Rosario are two of the most respected people in the cheer industry.We were terrified and electrified to know we would be training in their gym, under their instruction.The feeling was amazing, and is one I will keep in my heart always. Its a feeling I will get again one day when we are minutes away from AEC's family gym. I know our dream is reachable, said Natalie Baptiste, Ascension Eagles founding member.

TeammateTovonya Raybe, 18, agreed. When our team arrived at their gym, the world champion Top Gun Large Senior Coed team was training.The entire gym stopped what they were doing, and began applauding us as AEC walked through their gym doors.It was quite incredible, and we were over-awed.Talk about, welcome to America it was a moving experience and we felt so humbled to have them show their respect in this way.

Although we had travelled over 24 hours the previous day, it made us even more determined to give our absolute best alongside this inspirational team.

We knew it was going to be tough,Patrick Asante, 21, confided, One of my goals was for the team to be put through Victors style of coaching and us managing to pull through.It shows that we can become the team I see in my heart we can be if we keep on pushing ourselves.

Persistence is the word that really sums up this trip and describes a quality which everyone on the team seems to have acquired over the past few months, reflected Mel Brown, 19. To know that you have a whole family of people who share your passion and who hold the same dream so closely in their hearts makes this team so much more amazing.This trip has taught me the importance of teamwork, selflessness, commitment and living in a way that presents no regrets.Each decision we make may only be made once, however we may experience the consequences of our choices a hundred times over.Therefore, we learn to consider the consequences of our actions and live in a way to be proud of!

Although we were in America, with loads to see and do, our main priority every day was learning as much as we could.We pushed ourselves harder than ever before, knowing that much of what we learned wouldnt be fully used for months to come, after our bodies and minds have had time to adjust and progress, said Holly Gerard, 18.

Teammate Oishin Lastrollo, 15, added, Ascension Eagles have come a long way from your average youth group.The team showed a high level of maturity when it came to doing work.I am so proud to say I am part of this group.I learned so much from this trip; more than any school or education course could ever teach me.

Teammate Charlie Kelly, aged 17, agreed. Its my first time in America and waking up every day knowing I am spending it with my AEC family in an awesome country is almost like a dream. When we started training with Top Gun I was so nervous but after a few days I found they are amazing people world champions, but people just like us. I was impressed with their kindness, and was surprised to form lasting friendships with these people I have admired from afar.

Top Gun Coaches held mutual respect for Ascension. Top Gun Head Coach Victor Rosariosaid, Working with the Eagles has helped to remind me of why I began coaching. Their eagerness to learn will be the main reason for their continued success.The morals and values that this program instills in their athletes are far more valuable than any cheerleading skill they will ever learn.

Victors wife Kristin agreed, and admired the way Ascension Eagles invest all that they learn in others. Over the past year alone, AEC team members have instructed over 2000 other young people through their London Cheerleading Academy outreach.

Kristin Rosariosaid, The Eagles Head Coach Angela Brown has the most important attribute to being a great coach:she loves each member of the team and is passionate about all she does for the team. She is VERY knowledgeable and is willing to share that knowledge with not only her AEC teams, but also the wider UK community. She is an excellent choice for the UKs International Regional Director.

Halfway through the Top Gun training experience, AECs performance skills were put to the test as they had the opportunity to perform alongside a top team from South America the Ducks from Columbia as well as Top Guns Large Senior Coed team.

When we performed for Top Gun and Columbia, it was amazing how they all cheered us on and cheered extra loud when we hit our stunts. Listening to Victor and Kristen has inspired me, as has performing with these world-class teams. This whole trip is going to be a memory to treasure, no matter what the outcome. Being a part of the Ascension Eagles has been one of the best bits of my life so far! said Samantha Butcher, 17.

Two days before the World Championships, the team was required to move to Disney, to be housed in an Olympic-style athletes village. This time of transition gave the team an opportunity to reflect.

Its been such a struggle over the past months dealing with training and injury, with pain, sweat and tears -- the feelings are so intense. We have learned to push through and stay focused, but its seriously not easy. The people on this team come from different backgrounds and different walks of life, but we learn to respect one another and put personal agendas aside so that we achieve at the highest possible level as a team, shared Steven Gordon, age 22.

Teammate Petra Johnson, 19, added, Throughout the journey, I kept thinking about all those who didnt make the team, and the thousands in the UK alone, plus the millions more around the world who will never have this opportunity. I strived extra hard to represent and do them proud; they reminded me that I need to be strong and that I should do my part to achieve this dream for us all.

Lucy Andrew, 15, agreed, No matter what you may be thinking or feeling, you have to keep working hard. This journey has made me think about all that we are representing; its not about me. Every year is significant, as we build stronger and better teams. We learn from our past performances, and make amends. Ascension Eagles is where I have found my true friends for life, and I feel so blessed to have found them from a young age as they keep me going. Ascension Eagles has a world-wide reputation, and I hope that it continues through many generations because I want my children to be part of the Ascension family and share experiences like I have.

Lorraine Ofori, 16, reflected, The journey this team has been on has been great to watch and even better to be a part of. Training with Top Gun was a real highlight of the trip. I loved the way our teams shared a passion for cheer and knew that it was important to be a family. I really loved the fact that they also appreciated the power of prayer. Every member of our team has inspired me to move forward in my own personal pursuit of excellence and happiness.

Team member Jordan Kelly, 17, interjected, On this journey, I have learned more about our coach, Angela Brown. Over the past 12 years, through AEC, she too, has competed at regionals, nationals and even Worlds. She has coached people all over the world, and is ranked as a top choreographer. She knows what it feels like to be in our shoes, and she also takes all that she has learned to help us achieve even greater things. We have travelled so far, and I am still very excited for all that is to come.

Tyra McKenzie-Gray, 14, said, This has been my first time competing at Worlds, and representing my country at the highest level. Everyday I am still learning new skills and new things about myself and my teammates. I am grateful for those who have helped me mature from a young teenager into a young woman. I have a new attitude, which is to live life to the fullest, with no regrets.I feel very privileged to be on a team with such high-class cheerleaders.I love being able to call this team my Ascension family, and I cant wait to continue on my life journey with AEC because I know its only going to get better.

Team veteran, Jessica Laws,17 said, This is my third Worlds, so I am not a stranger to this whole stressful process of working together to achieve a long-term goal. Every year, we come with a new team, a new family. This team is the strongest yet, so getting to be part of it makes me feel special, as I am sure it does for everyone. The amount of time and energy it has taken to get here makes us worthy to be on the Worlds floor representing our country. We won this bid, we deserved it. I just hope that we hold that tightly in our hearts when we step onto the Worlds floor, with thousands of faces staring, lights blinding, cameras flashing. I hope we show them what Ascension is made of, and that we live life with no regrets. We are determined to go out there, have fun and make it a day to remember for the rest of our lives.

To reassure the team, Top Guns Coach Kristin Rosariohad words of advice for the team as they stepped onto the Worlds floor. Kristin said, When you take that floor, dont think about the crowd, the routine or the nerves.Think about how far you have come, how much you have learned and how lucky you are to have a family that pushes you forward.Remember a family is like a circle, it never ends and AEC truly are a strong family.So no matter what, AEC are ALREADY CHAMPIONS, and they have Top Guns love and respect.

AEC Head Coach Angela Brown, 26, shared her feelings as the team assembled onto the competition mat, When your team takes the floor, it is stressful and nerve-wracking for the coach. You can do no more for the team at that point; it is down to them to deliver a great performance. As I stood at the side of the floor, I was beaming with pride. The team before me was transformed, even from the point when they landed in the States, just a week earlier. It has been so refreshing to work with a team that is so willing to make the most of every opportunity and to apply all they have learned in such a short space of time. Even as they took their places, there was an electric air about them; I knew it was going to be great. You could see the passion in their eyes as they performed not only for our sport but also for each other! I am truly blessed to work with such inspirational young people. All I can say is World BEWARE!

Exiting the floor, Danny Le, 18, said, I feel great because I knew I did the best I could.It felt amazing to just be part of it all; this team shared a synergy and a connectedness like nothing Ive ever experienced.

Rob Horton, 21, agreed, This team is the epitome of what it means to be the Power of One. On that competition floor, for two and a half minutes 150 seconds the 23 people competing alongside me are the most important people in the world. Watching the routine on the screen immediately following our performance, all huddled together in the hot tent outside Disneys Indiana Jones Theatre, was so special because we were all able to appreciate our achievement as one. We celebrated the perfection of every skill and technique, and applauded individual and team success. Only the people on this team know just how much hard work went into syncing each stunt and tumble, and perfecting each transition. We have stood together as each member has pushed past pain and frustration to nail greater levels of difficulty. All the hours, weeks and months of training are measured in this 150 seconds. We fail or succeed as one team, with one heart, one dream and as one family. Watching the routine playback, although we had yet to hear the judges decision, we were able to evaluate ourselves fairly and objectively. We know we delivered our best team effort. For that, we have no regrets and we can celebrate all we have achieved.

The judges final announcements were celebrated, ranking Ascension Eagles Coed 6th in the World, with USA teams holding the top three spots, followed by Canada in 4th and 5th.

Jim Chadwick, Founder and President of the IASF Cheerleading Worlds observed,"The Ascension Eagles' routine at this Worlds was the best I have ever seen from a team outside of North America. I had tears of joy in my eyes as I watched the routine and remembered how far this team has come in just a few short years with their skills and ability to entertain and communicate.

AEC Director Shara Brice said, Mr. Chadwicks affirmation means a tremendous amount to us. We have been British Coed champions since 1998, but to be recognized as the top Coed team outside of North America is a huge affirmation, not only for AEC but for the whole of the UK. The top three USA teams are legendary, and we were impressed with all the teams from Canada, South America, Europe, China, Jamaica and all the other countries. Even more importantly than our international ranking, AEC earned the respect of all those they met. I am exceedingly proud of this exceptional group of young people.

Oishin Lastrollo, 15, said, After we competed, as we met new people and more cheerleaders there were 9000 at Worlds I realized that we are not quite like any of them.Within AEC, we recognize each others flaws, and build on each others strengths, and make ourselves better for that. I watched how the top one percent of teams act and interact, and Ive come away knowing that through AEC, I am part of something truly remarkable.

Although the trip is over, for the first time, the Worlds broadcast can be viewed continuously throughout the year ahead. Each of the 588 Worlds routines can be accessed repeatedly on demand for 12 months. By logging onto www.iasfworlds.org, and signing up for the video subscription ($9.99), anyone in the world can view the World Championships. This unique feature is already proving popular. During the first five days it was on-line, the video playback system had over nine million hits.

Team member Sammie Bromley, 17,observed, With the new video playback system, people all over the world can log-on to iasfworlds.org and watch any of the 588 Worlds routines as many times as they want for an entire year.Knowing that our Worlds performance could be watched countless times globally, meant that we had to deliver a product worthy of the Ascension name. It wasnt just about impressing the judges and earning the score on the day; it is about representing the UKs 15,000 cheerleaders with excellence, and making all our supporters proud, while raising the standard.I am proud of our performance, and know we have represented Newham and Britain well.

Mel Brown, 19, summed up for the team, As we reflect on all the hard work, dedication, love and fun that went into our preparation for Worlds, the progress that we have made and the memories we have shared, I know that what we have achieved will live on throughout AEC history and throughout all of our lives. Good choices yielded excellent results.I cant think of any way I'd rather have it!