Laura, Staffordshire Scarlettes committee manager shares with us an update of achievements throughout the term. The Scarlettes team work hard, play hard and support each other throughout. Laura is deservedly proud of her team and we're proud of you Laura...keep doing what you do!
Laura, Staffordshire Scarlettes committee manager shares with us an update of achievements throughout the term. The Scarlettes team work hard, play hard and support each other throughout. Laura is deservedly proud of her team and we're proud of you Laura...keep doing what you do!
As we are approaching the end of the first semester and 2023, I wanted to take the time to inform everyone the highlights and successes that the Staffordshire Scarlettes have achieved since coming back in September.
We have recruited 32 members to the team this year who are involved in either one or two of our five competitive teams as well as having a social cheer team where members are able to learn cheerleading to learn new skills and have fun!
All five of our competitive teams will be competing against other Universities at the British University Nationals in February and at Circus Spectacular in March.
All of our sessions are run by volunteer committee members and coaches who are current students and alumnus who all have done over 100 hours of volunteering and take the time to plan great session for all of our members. This year we have introduced tumbling coaches to work on tumbling, once a week, and is open for everyone to participate to work on building skills and perfecting the base skills to reach towards achieving higher skills. Our Level 1 team has made a return this year to ensure that anyone who is new to cheerleading, especially competitive cheerleading, has the opportunity to develop their skills within cheerleading and to be inclusive for anyone who is new to the sport. In addition to this, our social cheer team have worked alongside the Sports Centre’s ‘Social Sports’ programme to allow all students to give cheerleading a go and we have had good turnouts every session where we have introduced everyone to cheerleading and the skills involved within the sport.
Every year, the Scarlettes ensures to raise as much money as we can for Charity throughout the academic year.
During this semester, we have raised money over £100 for Movember and participated within a 10km walk for Royal Holloway University Cheerleader who had been battling a stage 4 brain tumour. Furthermore, we have worn red to training to raise awareness for ‘Showing Racism the Red Card’. We want to continue raising money for charity within the new year and to show our support wherever we can across the local community.
Outside of our training sessions, we have utilised local cheerleading team venues to help athletes train on a matted floor to get them used to a similar floor that are used at competitions and to continue building up the skills that are in our competition routines. We want to thank ‘Momentum Cheer Allstar’ for allowing us to utilise their gym floor.
In November, we brought in an external dance coach to teach a routine to bring the team together, develop their dance skills and to let off some stress during deadline season. It was great to so many people come together, from different teams, to continue building their friendships as well as having lots of fun! We want to thank ‘2Fly’ for coming in to help boost our athletes self confidence and giving them the opportunity to develop their dance skills in preparation for the dance sections in our competition routines.
Within this round up, I would like to take the time to celebrate some of our committee and coaches achievements that they have accomplished during the first semester.
Firstly, I would like to congratulate Annie Thompson in becoming a cheerleading judge with an internal judging membership and is now an instructor for the ‘British Cheerleading Association’. Annie will now be able to deliver cheerleading courses to anyone who wants to become a qualified cheerleading coach. In addition to this, Annie and our finance officer Krista McCartney have become qualified in first aid at work at level 3 and have become the Scarlettes first aiders; thank you both for taking the opportunity to become first aiders and looking out for our athlete’s safety. Qira Jewkes has undertaken mental health first aid training and is now a qualified mental health first aider; a great achievement Qira! Lastly, our new Level 1 Coach Isobel Lodge, has recently undertaken a second cheerleading course in Level 2 with the British Cheerleading Association and is now a qualified Level 2 coach; congratulations Isobel!
In conclusion, the Scarlettes have once again absolutely smashed the first semester of the academic year and we can’t wait to see what the new year brings to everyone at the Scarlettes. We plan to continue raising money and awareness for charities and hold more charity events across the campus, more time in external venues for practicing our competition routines and celebrate our athletes achievements throughout the year!
I would like to thank all of my committee and coaches for all of their hard work, dedication, and love across the first semester, it’s amazing to see how much of a strong team we make and I couldn’t do it without you all! It’s all time for a well earned rest but we all can’t wait to see what 2024 brings to the Scarlettes!
Lastly, I would like to thank everyone at the Student Engagement Team and Sports Centre for all of their continuous support and we are looking forward to you all seeing the society grow even more in the new year!
We hope everyone has a lovely Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Staffordshire Scarlettes
