Cheerleader takes to the world stage

ABlackpool schoolgirl is jetting off to sunny Orlando to compete for gold in this year's World Cheerleading Championships.
By The Newsroom
Published 5th Apr 2018, 13:41 BST
Updated 5th Apr 2018, 13:46 BST
The Lady Grenades cheerleaders. Blackpool girl Nicole Hughes can be seen second from the right on the front row.The Lady Grenades cheerleaders. Blackpool girl Nicole Hughes can be seen second from the right on the front row.
The Lady Grenades cheerleaders. Blackpool girl Nicole Hughes can be seen second from the right on the front row.

Nicole Hughes, 15, is a member of the Lady Grenades cheerleading team, of Coventry Dynamite, who finished 8th overall in the international competition last year.

They now hope to place in the top three at the contest, which will take place at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, from April 25-27.

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Her mum, Leighanne Hughes, said: “It’s all-star, American style cheerleading, so they throw the girls up in the air.

“They do five competitions a year all around Britain, and afew of these are ‘world rounds’ they they have to win in order to qualify.

“It’s the best teams from all over the country that get to go.”

Nicole, who is a pupil at Baines School, Poulton, and lives at Herons Reach, took up training as a cheerleader four years ago.

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She joined the Lady Grenades team in July last year, and travels to Coventry every week to train.

The ICU World Cheerleading Championships will mark her international debut.

Leighanne said: “She absolutely loves it.

“We’re aiming to defintierly place in the top three in the girls division. It’s definitely doable if they get the training they need in America

“Her school is all for it and really want to support her.”

The team is now raising funs to support the team while they compete in America.

Related topics:OrlandoBritain