Battling to be the cheerleading champions

6:06pm Tuesday 11th December 2007

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SCHOOLS from across the county battled it out to be crowned Worcestershire cheerleading champions.

About 100 girls from 10 schools competed in the inaugural event at Perdiswell Leisure Centre yesterday.

Routines for pupils aged 11 to 14 and 14 to 16 were judged by the British Cheerleading Association and there was also a demonstration from the Worcester Warriors' cheerleading squad.

The competition was organised as part of the Competition Manager Programme - a nationwide project funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) to increase school sport and participation in inter-school sport.

Worcestershire competition manager Andy Steckbeck believes this is the first event of its kind in the UK. He said: "When I spoke to the British Cheerleading Association to get some advice they said they had been thinking about doing a pilot because there is no school competitions set up.

"We know there are clubs but there is nothing in schools. We think this is one of the first - if not the first - ever in the country."