When St. Mary’s Academy junior Brianna Woodside-Gomez decided to switch from playing soccer in 7th grade to trying All-Star Cheerleading, she knew her soccer-coaching father would not be happy. But five years later, her father is extremely proud as his daughter and 35 other members of her team, West Coast Extreme, head to the Cheerleading Worlds in Orlando, Florida, April 24-29 with back-to-back Grand National Championships and $10,000 and $25,000 bids for the ESPN-covered event.
The Tigard and Albany-based gym West Coast Extreme is the first in Oregon to win partial ($10,000) and full-paid ($25,000) bids to the World events. A ‘bid’ is an invitation to compete in Worlds and is only available at select competitions that offer them.
The team’s first, $10,000 bid was won at an international competition in Vancouver, BC over the weekend of March 1st and the second, $25,000 bid was achieved the next weekend at the PAC West National Championships in Portland, Oregon. The group competes in the highest level of All-Star Cheerleading for high school aged kids, Senior Level 5. To see their performance, click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2JMM81J5oo&feature=related
“As we go into our seventh season, it is absolutely amazing for me to see how much the girls have accomplished,” says West Coast Extreme Gym Owner, David Long. “As coaches and directors, we try to set an example for the team and they have learned that if they listen to direction and work hard, they can obtain their goals. Even if we weren’t going to Worlds, I’d know they were all winners!”
Woodside-Gomez is not the only St. Mary’s student on the championship team – Courtney Rogers, a sophomore, has been training with her since 7th grade, as well. Both girls have rigorous schedules; taking advanced classes, participating in school clubs and activities, volunteering for local non-profit agencies, and holding down jobs, as well as practicing an average of 10 hours a week for competition.
“Our school is proud of Brianna and Courtney because they are great examples of the St. Mary’s spirit that enables our girls to achieve in any area they choose,” says Assistant Principal of Student Life Sister Linda Patrick. “The hard work they have put into their sport, coupled with their other successes shows what well-rounded, amazing girls they are!”
“A lot of people disregard competitive cheerleading and don’t think it’s a real sport,” says Woodside-Gomez. “They don’t understand how much time and physical fitness is involved to synchronize the jumping, tumbling, dancing, and tossing that is required.”
Although they don’t always get respect, Woodside-Gomez and Rogers continue the sport because they feel it teaches them self confidence, pride, self respect, and “major” discipline and time management. “Although it is dangerous, costs a lot and is frustrating at times, it’s all worth it for the two minutes, 30 seconds of performance on the floor!” says Woodside-Gomez.
West Coast Extreme All-Star Cheerleading prides itself on serving young people of all ages by providing a safe and positive environment for individuals to develop themselves physically, mentally, emotionally, and morally through cheerleading, gymnastics, and related sports.
Founded in 1859 by the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, St. Mary’s Academy of Portland, is Oregon’s oldest continuously operating secondary school and one of 716 all-female schools in the country. The student body represents a diverse background of young women from over 30 urban, suburban, and rural communities in Oregon and Southwest Washington. St. Mary’s Academy is distinguished by its development of the whole person, and is the only school in the state to receive three U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon Schools awards.
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