The John Paul II Collegiate Cheer Team hosted the Scholastic Provincial Cheerleading Championship Saturday at the NationsWEST Fieldhouse, attracting 36 teams from 22 schools throughout the province.
JPII's team, competing in senior coed level 3, placed second in its category, following Winston Knoll Collegiate of Regina. The host team's performance brought tears of pride to their coaches' eyes as they were congratulated following their presentation.
JPII's head coach, Lesia Rathje, was named coach of the year to the cheers of her three-year-old team.
Rathje said, "None of this would be possible without the help of Rena Fauchon-Smokum who, three years ago, agreed to take this on. She thought that she would just have to just show up for practice, but look at what happened!"
She also thanked Tracie Harty, "who jumped on board last year."
Rathje, who lives in Saskatoon and comes to North Battleford on Sunday to coach, had a special thanks for her mom, a teacher at John Paul II. Rhea Good coaches the team Wednesday morning.
"If the SCA had a cheer mom award," said Rathje, "it would be you, Mom."
Rathje has been involved in the sport of cheerleading for over eight years, both as an athlete and a coach. She has been been involved with Georges Vanier Elementary School in Saskatoon, Lawrence Elementary School in North Battleford and is currently involved with Prairie Fire Cheerleading of Saskatoon, John Paul II Collegiate in North Battleford and Cheer Legacy Athletics.
Saturday's event included a demonstration by Cheer Legacy Athletics, the Battlefords' first and only cheerleading club, founded by Rathje in 2012. This season's CLA has one team of 32 kids aged four through through eight.
Their demonstration, which included stunts, received a resounding response from the crowd at the fieldhouse Saturday.
"Cheer is my life, my passion, it's everything to me, "said Rathje. "For my passion, my community to come alive in my home town meant the world to me."
The Scholastic Provincial Cheerleading Championship involved a multitude of judges, volunteers, coaches, athletes, parents and volunteers.
Overall winners for the day were Balfour Collegiate of Regina, which took the provincial championships in both senior and junior dance, Melfort and Unit Comprehensive Collegiate, which took the junior cheer championship, and Aden Bowman Collegiate of Saskatoon, which took the senior cheer championship and also the grand championship for highest score of the day.
For more pictures, check out the event photo gallery on the homepage.
