It started out as a way to show support for the new John Paul II Collegiate football team, which played their first game in the fall. It quickly evolved into so much more in just seven months.
The John Paul II Crusaders cheerleading team competed in their first competition ever and won gold.
The Warman Cheer Classic was hosted on the weekend and of the three teams in their division the Crusaders finished first and edged out two other, more experienced, teams.
The Crusaders squad, coached by Lesia Rathje and Rena Fauchon-Smockum, includes 24 girls. Fauchon-Smockum says they loved cheering at the football games so much they wanted to give the competitive part of the sport a try. Rathje, who has cheerleading experience, was ready and willing to help the girls prepare for the next step.
The Crusaders were unsure of what to expect from the weekend in Warman said Fauchon-Smockum, but have more expectations going into provincials this weekend.
The Warman Cheer Classic had 79 teams from across Saskatchewan and into Alberta, competing and that alone was a special experience for the rookie Crusaders team.
