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Girl killed in skiing accident remembered by cheerleading team

Feb 27, 2014 | 11:20 AM

A young girl from Langham killed in a skiing accident last week will be remembered at a Saskatchewan cheerleading competition Friday and Saturday.

Rachel Deugau, 12, was a member of the Warman Ultimate Cheerleading club and was supposed to compete this weekend in Warman.

Now, her coach and owner of Warman Ultimate Cheerleading, Leslie Stevenson, said they will sell purple ribbons at the competition will all proceeds going to the SPCA in Rachel's name.

“Athletes will tie them to their shoes and parents and spectators can pin them to their jackets or their shirts, representing the colour purple for the weekend,” she said.

Rachel's team is known as the Amethysts and wear purple uniforms. The team has 23 girls all aged 14 or younger who Stevenson said are grieving for the death of their teammate and won't change their competition routine.

“Her spot is her spot and we don't want to see anyone else in it. We have not changed any of our formations. We have not changed anything. That's Rachel's spot and it will be for the rest of the season. That's what the girls have requested,” she said.

Stevenson said Rachel was an amazing tumbler on the team as well as filling the position of a base which is one of the people responsible for holding a girl in the air while performing cheerleading stunts.

She said they chose the SPCA as the recipient of all donations at the competition at the request of Rachel's family.

“Her mom said she just loved animals … anyone is able to come by, come drive out, give a donation and come stop in and see the competition,” Stevenson said.

Stevenson said the response from the larger cheerleading community to Rachel's death has been heartwarming as the club has received emails from past coaches or choreographers based out of Ireland, America and all over Canada.

“Anyone who has come into our club or done choreography with our club sent Rachel's family good wishes and that their thoughts are with them,” Stevenson said.

Rachel died last week after she lost control while skiing at the Panorama Mountain Village in B.C. and crashed into a tree.

Her funeral is planned for this Sunday.

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