SuperX cheerleading team heads to The Summit | News, Sports, Jobs - The - Lewistown Sentinel

April 29, 2019 at 10:46PM

Submitted photo
Members of the SuperX Fame Gym in Lewistown are, from left, front, Alex Koch and Hannah Johnson; second row, Jaiden Swigart and Skylar Williamson; third row, Breckin Swigart, Gabby Eddinger and Kierra Bernhard; back row, Aiden Savage.

LEWISTOWN — A Lewistown-based all-star cheer team is preparing for its most crucial competition.

SuperX, a team consisting of eight girls and one boy ages 10-15, has been invited to compete at a prestigious national cheer competition, The Summit.

Five years ago, a gym was established by Jen Johnson and Pam Retherford to offer recreational cheer activities to children through the Huskies youth program.

Recreational cheer teams have an association with a school and mainly cheer at sporting events, which occur a couple months annually.

Coach Rusty Williamson said the cheerleaders were becoming bored with recreational cheer and wanted a challenge.

The gym changed its association from a recreational cheer group to an all-star group, which enables teams to compete nationally.

All-star teams have a stronger focus on gymnastics, dance and tumbling. The physical demand is greater than recreational cheer.

Teams compete weekly from November through April.

Williamson said practices are held two to three times a week for two to four hours.

Fame Pa., a big-name gym in the cheer world, contacted the Lewistown gym three years ago to become a branch in its business.

Now, the Lewistown branch of Fame Pa. offers cheer options for ages 4 to 18.

"The 4-year-olds are really fun to watch," Williamson said. "At that age it's more for fun than competition."

SuperX is classified as a Junior 5 team, meaning it ranks at the top of its class. Williamson said junior teams having a number ranking from one to five.

SuperX competes in competitions along the East Coast weekly, gathering feedback from judges on how to secure a stronger routine.

Routines performed by teams from Fame Pa. are manufactured by choreographers. After a weekend of direction, coaches take over and help team members perfect the routine.

During their yearly competitions, SuperX has won a few national championships and has placed at least second in other competitions.

"This is the first time winning a bid to go to The Summit, and it's been five years in the making," Williamson said.

To receive a bid to attend The Summit, a cheer team must obtain the highest score in a certain level. In SuperX's case, the level was Junior 5.

"Our main goal is to get a bid," Williamson said. "This is what we work for all the time."

For two months, SuperX has focused on mastering its routine.

"At our level, The Summit is the biggest competition in the United States," Williamson said. "Going there is huge."

Held the first weekend of May, SuperX will arrive in Orlando, Florida, on Thursday to establish practice and competition times.

SuperX will compete Friday. If it places in the top five, it will continue to the finals.

"We want to bring out the best of Mifflin County and show everyone that we are better at more than just baseball and football," Williamson said.

LEWISTOWN — Because the mission of the Mifflin-Juniata Regional Services Corporation is to maximize the ...LEWISTOWN — A Mifflintown man pleaded guilty Friday in the Mifflin County Court of Common Pleas to one felony and ...Editor's note: The Sentinel offers nonprofit and other community organizations an opportunity to promote upcoming ...