The Abbotsford Centre will be invaded by over 1,200 athletes of all ages from around the province at the annual CheerFest event, which runs all day on Saturday.
The event draws in over 100 different teams, including clubs from high schools, prep teams, all-star level teams and world bids.
The local Valley Stars Cheer Athletics team hosts the event, and owner Judy James said she’s excited to see the continued growth of the sport. Cheerleading was recently recognized as an official sport by the International Olympic Committee, and James said it’s a great sport for everyone.
“Valley Stars started a gym 15 years ago and I have seen so many young athletes come and go,” she said. “We jump, we toss, we stunt, we flip, we dance and we tumble. Our club has been to world’s cheerleading events four times with excellent results and we continue to strive to be our best.”
Winning teams from Saturday will also be eligible to qualify for world championship events later this year. Similar to gymnastics, teams are judged on gymnastic tumbles, dance, stunts, and pyramids.
CheerFest runs from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, and James said spectators are in for a show.
“With over 100 teams performing throughout the day and over 1,200 athletes from all over B.C. we can guarantee that it will be a fun filled day,” she said. “We have teams with athletes from ages 3 and up. We are also hosting for a worlds event. The winning team in this category will head off to worlds this year to fulfill their dreams.”
For more information, visit valleystars.com