This year The RUC is proud to welcome ANU Cheerleading to the family. We are excited to be supporting these athletes and watching what they achieve this year!

ANU Cheerleading Club was founded in 2017 and began with just seven athletes, all who were fairly new to the world of cheer. In 2018, the team competed for the first time, finally having a full cheer team with five stunt groups. 2019 saw the club continue its growth however they still only had one competitive team. Fast forward to today and they have six teams! Two competitive cheer teams, one competitive pom team, one recreational team, a tumbling program, and a side-line program. The teams include:

• Midnight (co-ed competitive cheerleading team): 23 team members
• Cobalt (all girls competitive cheerleading team): 17 team members
• Sapphire (competitive pom team): 14 team members
• Cerulean (higher level, non-competing team open to alumni, UC students and ANU students): 22 team members
• Recreational: 15 team members
• Tumble: 13 team members

WHAT IT TAKES TO TRAIN

For the competing teams (Midnight, Cobalt and Sapphires), the athletes are required to train a minimum of two days a week for two hour sessions. There is a general training schedule for all recreational and competitive teams that includes dynamic stretching and stunting (groups of four to five people lift a “flyer” into the air above shoulder height).

The time of season determines the squads training focus, however if you are on the competitive team fitness is part of the bargain. 30 minutes of fitness includes sprinting, push-ups and squat jumps and the teams also commit to strength and conditioning training with weights to improve their game.

The culture of the club is supportive and positive, with an appreciation circle at the end of all training sessions. They support those looking to move from recreational to competitive ANU cheer by encouraging everyone to try out for team placement early in the year. Placements are locked in 8 to 10 months prior to competition season.

it’s risky business

When you think of cheer you may think it’s just chants and pom-poms, but that is not all these athletes do!

“Cheerleading is a very competitive sport, and you require use of every tiny muscle in your body,” says Dorothee, ANU Cheerleading Coordinator.

It can also be a very dangerous sport with risk of concussion, dislocated shoulders or broken bones.

“It doesn’t occur frequently, but the outcome can be detrimental.”

But don’t fret, the team takes precautions when training to build confidence before introducing stunts into full extensions (lifting the flyer above shoulder height).

community

ANU Cheerleading are all about their local community and know how important supporting one another really is. The teams will be involved across several community outreach initiatives and volunteering at this year’s Canberra Times Marathon and the Australian Life Blood Drive.

Most athletes in the competitive teams are also often in side-line cheerleading across various ANU sports clubs to raise the morale of our other ANU sporting teams when they play.

THE RUC X ANU CHEERLEADING

“We are so excited to be partnering with The RUC. Not only because we love the food and atmosphere, but the team really required somewhere close to campus that is reliable and a place we can all gather now that the team is growing,” tells Dorothee. The sponsorship will allow the team to have new uniforms and equipment that are required to train.

Be sure to get behind the ANU Cheerleading teams by attending ANU sporting events, and if you are interested in joining any of the teams get in touch with the club on Facebook @ANUCheer or over on their website.