Global Domination:
Pride Athletics Triumphs on World Stage Bringing Home Two World Titles and the Nation's Cup
Sasha Bush
The Ashland Beacon
In a dazzling display of cultivated skill, determination and passion, Pride Athletics soared to victory once again on the world stage of the Universal Cheerleading AssociationCompetition, bringing home two coveted world championship titles as well as a national title. Amidst the fierce competition’s electrifying performances, the squads of Pride Athletics showed the world of cheer how athletes can overcome adversity and come out on top.
Owner of Pride Athletics and coach, Kristin Martin explained, “Our youth had anunfortunate fall in a partner stunt, but the courage they showed as such young athletes astounded us. They finished a beautiful routine after an early fall perfectly when so many others would fall apart.”This year’s competition pool was fierce, and it was clear that every team came with the same goal in mind… to leave it all on the mat and do the best they could. Pride Athletics YouthClub showed an inspiring amount of dignity, grace, and maturity as they recovered from a small mishap during one of their performances. The team members of the Pride Athletics Youth Club didn’t let one little misfortune keep them down. The feisty little divas adjusted theirbows and finished strong. The Youth Club missed the mark for the National title, coming in fourth but soon made up for that as they snagged a first-place finish in the Worlds competition.
Martin noted, “Our senior squad did not have a fall or deduction but had a fairly significant execution issue in our first pyramid. In the world of cheerleading, execution scoresplay the largest role in scoring so we knew it would be up in the air. We had a long 16-hour day on Sunday where we nailed the semifinals sitting in first and second place. Our seniors ending up coming in third place for the national title. Then, both teams did the same in Worlds resulting in two World championships and Senior Club taking back the Nations Cup (highest score at Worlds for our session) for the first time since 2019.” What is really impressive is that many members of the Senior Club had never even touched a competitive cheer mat before.
Faces beaming with pride, both the Youth and Senior Club of Pride Athletics brought home the coveted white satin jackets. In the early 1980s, the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA), decided that alongside the winners receiving a medal the National Champions would also receive white satin jackets to honor their big win. The white satin jacket is the most sought-after trophy by cheerleaders around the world and continues to be the most iconic symbol in the world of competitive cheer.
It isn’t Pride Athletics' technical prowess that sets their performances apart from others- it’s the emotion that accompanies them. With every smile, shout and stunt performed, the athletes of the Pride Athletics programs radiate joy and camaraderie for a sport they love, and that is evident in every gesture that they make. Their enthusiasm is infectious and draws spectators and judges alike into their performances, captivating the attention of everyone in the gym and leaving them with a performance that will be remembered long after the final cheer has faded away.