By Courtney Mintenko

U of R cheer team competing at world championship

Jan 19, 2013 | 2:17 PM

The University of Regina Cougar cheer team is in Florida this weekend to compete in the International Cheer Union World University Cheerleading Championship.

The 27-member team captured Canada's national title at the Canadian National University Cheerleading Championships in Brampton, Ontario on Dec. 1, 2012.

Before leaving for Orlando on Thursday, members of the group stopped by the legislative buildings to receive well wishes from Premier Brad Wall, as well as pick up a banner with the signatures of some of Saskatchewan's MLAs.

“We're really excited,” said Danielle Roy, a second-year pre-pharmacy student on the squad for the second year. The White City native hadn't been a cheerleader before university. However, the Cougars soon recruited the gymnast for the team.

“We practiced hard all summer, we worked extremely hard before nationals. (We) went out, did our best and took the title at nationals. We got invited to worlds, which isn't the usual thing. You don't automatically get to go to worlds.”

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Almost 4,000 university athletes will be at the competition from all corners of the globe. Roy said she was looking forward to seeing the different styles cheer teams have to offer, while admitting that the competition will have a new challenge for her squad.

“Collegiate cheerleading in the U.S is different than what we do here. Normally we just do two and a half minutes (with) music playing the whole time. We're tumbling and stunting the entire time. But during our routine for worlds, we have music and then we stop and do a cheer…which we're not used to.”

The International Cheer Union World University Cheerleading Championship is broadcast live on ESPN.

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