It’s celebration time in the Woodlands.
“We are so excited, it was a very big accomplishment for us,” said Kennedy Scbok. “Not only have we been working for this for one year but it’s been two now, and so stepping out on that mat meant so much to us and it meant even more to show the world that we are capable and that we deserve the title.”
The Woodlands Elite ‘Black Ops’ Cheer team won the Co-Ed Worlds title. It’s largely thought of as the most prestigious award for competitive cheer teams. On Sunday, parents and the team gathered to celebrate the title at Woodlands Street Market.
“The Cheerleading World Championship is equivalent to the Super Bowl for these kids,” said head coach Jessica Green. “You have to be a certain age and you have to be at a certain level, and this is what they dream about winning their entire lives.”
Due to COVID and injuries, this was a tough season. But this team was determined. Last year’s competitions were canceled, so it was two years of work for this championship.
“Between all the restrictions with COVID; a lot of the competitions were virtual, and then kids getting sick and having to take time off,” said Lori Gorton, a cheer mom. “It was stressful, but it ended up being an amazing year.”
“We had one of our seniors tear an ACL, and she was like, ‘I’m going to compete at Worlds,’” said Green. “Where they started at the beginning of the season, all the ups and downs, all the fight they had to go through to get to this point; it’s an amazing feeling and I’m so proud of them. I hope they remember this moment forever.”