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Cheerleading Champion
Grace O’Malley
My journey with competitive cheerleading started
in 2008, I was 14 and originally intended to join
gymnastics but the coach looked me up and down,
told me I was too old and my body had matured
too much to start gymnastics at a competitive level.
So he sent me to the back room to try out for
cheerleading like it was some lesser sport that my
"old" body would be more suited for. I didn't have
a clue about the sport, like most Australians but it
is actually our fastest growing sport and from day
one it is the hardest sport I have ever done. You
have to tumble like a gymnast, hold girls
above your head like a weight lifter, toss girls 8
metres in the air then catch them and your
flexibility has to be at a contortionist's level… All
with a smile on your face and a bow in your hair.
Cheerleading has allowed me to compete at a
National and International level, taking me to
Hawaii in 2010 for my first taste of the American
competition. During the 2012 season I competed in
the All-Girl Senior Level 5 division, the highest in
Australia and my success at Nationals meant I
earned a bid to the World Championships held at
Disneyworld in Florida this April. There are 97
countries competing at Worlds in 2013 and I have
the privilege to represent Australia. The
preparation for Worlds involves countless hours of
training, building up strength, flexibility and
tumbling skills to an elite level to help perfect a
2min 30sec routine. There are two days of
competition and the scores from both days are
averaged to determine the winner. Regardless of
the outcome, the experience has been incredible
and it is an honour to represent my country.
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