On March 8, Lakewood Cheer’s competition teams competed at the March Madness Championship, which AmeriCheer ran. The girls traveled to Centerburg High School in Centerburg, Ohio, for the competition. After a stellar final performance for the 2024-2025 season, the high school competition team won multiple awards, including the Division Champions award for their division, the High Point award, and a paid bid award. The middle school competition team also won the Division Champions award for their division.

“The competition was one of our greatest accomplishments,” senior Kenla Hamilton said.

For this competition, the team focused and worked hard on their routine. Since this competition was similar to their last, they decided to use the same routines from the last one. The time not spent cheering on the Lakewood Boys Basketball team was used to fix their routines by applying the feedback they received from the Ohio Grand Championship competition on Feb. 15.

“We added flags into the routine, worked on our stamina and endurance, fixed formations, and ran the routines over and over again!” Coach Maura Flynn said.

Their goals for this competition were to use the corrections they received from the judges of the last one to obtain a higher score this time around.

“At the Ohio Grand Championship competition, nervous and anxious vibes really got in the way of our performance,” Coach Flynn said.

As a result, their hard work and dedication gave them a higher score! Their score improved from an 83.45 from the last competition to an 85.20 at this one. Although they were hoping for their score to be in the range of the 90s for this competition, they were proud of their improvement and this improvement also won them multiple awards.

“I think the girls did an exceptional job of staying optimistic, calm, and mindful this time around and it boosted their confidence a ton,” Coach Flynn said.

At all cheer competitions worldwide, different organizations and types of routines are separated by divisions that range from various categories. Unlike the CWC Cheer Competition Lakewood Cheer competed in in the fall, AmeriCheer competitions are not limited to school cheer teams. AmeriCheer competitions have teams competing from All-Star competitive gyms that are private and elite. These teams spend their practices only preparing routines with the sole purpose of using them to compete and win awards at cheer competitions.

“All-Star cheer teams and school cheer teams do not compete against each other, and their routines often look very different,” Coach Flynn said.

In contrast, Lakewood Cheer is a school cheer team that has to balance time spent practicing for competitions with preparation for performances at football and basketball games. During their season, they cheer on the sidelines of football and basketball games and make time to compete in cheer competitions. Not every school cheerleading team does this, as many will only dedicate their time during the season to cheering on the school. However, over the past years, Lakewood Cheer has made a conscious effort to do both. It is necessary to note that not every school cheerleading team wants or chooses to do this as it does require necessary funding from teams since competing in competitions is not free.

Lakewood Cheer over the years has grown quite familiar with AmeriCheer as they have now competed in quite a few competitions run by them. AmeriCheer has been in business for over 40 years, being first founded by Elizabeth Rossetti. As a former cheerleader at the Ohio State University, Rossetti found that there was a growing need for structured cheer programs. What started as a few cheer camps in the Cleveland area has turned into a nationally recognized company that is constantly expanding competitions and other opportunities. They have found a love for giving opportunity and support to the sport and numerous athletes involved in cheerleading across the nation.

“The most rewarding part is seeing the athletes thrive,” AmeriCheer said. “Watching different gyms, schools, and organizations grow, improve, and achieve their goals throughout the season is incredibly fulfilling.”

The organization has taken the lead in ensuring that they provide as many opportunities as possible to their athletes. They partner with the best organizations to offer bids to teams that compete in their competitions which can give them the chance to compete in more prestigious national competitions, as well as reward and honor their young athletes who work hard to balance their lives inside and out of the gym.

“We are proud to give back through initiatives like our Athlete Honors Scholarship Program, which supports deserving athletes in their academic and cheerleading journeys,” AmeriCheer said.

At this competition, the Lakewood Cheer competition teams brought home multiple awards. They got first place in their division and a High Point award for having the highest score amongst the other school cheerleading teams that competed. A final award they received was a paid bid. The paid bid allows them to compete in The One Finals competition. This competition takes place in Sandusky, OH, on May 3rd and 4th. With the paid bid, Lakewood Cheer could compete in this competition for free! However, it is currently undecided whether or not they will compete in this competition or not. Lakewood Cheer’s coaching team is currently researching whether or not it would be possible to compete in this competition because it occurs after their season has come to an end. Many girls on the team have other commitments to spring-season sports. Also, the competition takes place over the weekend of LHS’s Prom, and the coaches would never ask the Seniors on the team to miss the Prom.

“Even if we can’t make this competition happen, winning a bid is such an honor for the team and we will use this energy and momentum as we head into tryouts and form our next competition team!” Coach Flynn said.

While the coaching team spends time figuring out their plan for May, AmeriCheer has thriving plans for their future. They plan to focus on expanding locations to reach even more athletes to give them the chance to show off their top-tier cheer and dance skills. They are dedicated to opening countless doors for this next generation of cheerleaders through various camps and clinics to give them high-quality training. AmeriCheer also plans to continue to offer distinctive opportunities, like appearances in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and performances at Cleveland Cavaliers games.

“Our goal is to keep innovating, growing, and elevating the cheer and dance community for years to come,” AmeriCheer said. “Being able to contribute to their success, both on and off the mat, is truly the best part.”

As for Lakewood Cheer, whether or not they decide to attend The One Finals competition later this year, their season has officially concluded. After many competitions, football games, basketball games, youth camps, and showcases, it is evident that Lakewood Cheer has had yet another successful year.

“I could not be more proud of this group of cheerleaders who put in so much extra time and hard work over the last few months,” Coach Flynn said. “On top of three winter youth camps, a crazy basketball season, charity events, and our end-of-season showcase, this team went above and beyond to challenge themselves and elevate our program!”

For the seniors, this competition marks the end of their journey with Lakewood Cheer as it is unlikely that they will be attending the competition in May.

“It’s bittersweet knowing that was the last time I would ever put my uniform on again, but I am so grateful and happy that I was able to make memories with the people I spent most of my days with,” Hamilton said. “I can’t wait to see where this program goes in the future.”

Along with AmeriCheer, Lakewood Cheer also has great plans in store for their upcoming 2025-2026 season. They are excited to expand their competition even further with this new season. Lakewood Cheer hopes to reach new goals and continue to grow its program as time goes on.

“Kenla, Jana, and Sophia, our seniors on the competition team, raised the bar for leadership and positivity,” Coach Flynn said. “They will be so dearly missed, but we are excited looking to the future!”