FALL RIVER — The Florida tans may be just about faded when the Diman Regional High School cheerleading team takes the mat for the league and state vocational championships on Feb. 23, but the major-competition experience isn't going anywhere.
That considerable experience was gained Feb. 6-10 when Diman competed at the National High School Cheerleading Championships at the ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Fla.
Competing in the Small Co-Ed Division, the 11-member Bengals earned 17th place out of 26 teams. Some of the other teams in Diman's division had 20-plus members.
"This was Diman’s first time attending this national competition," head coach Ashley Teasdale wrote in a text. "It was an amazing experience for us and proof that if you work hard enough for something , the sky is the limit!
"We are very fortunate to have not only amazing athletes but amazing students and exceptional human being on and off the mat."
Click here to see the Diman cheerleading photo gallery.
Though the Bengals do their own fundraising to take care of the their normal business, the school stepped up to finance most of the Florida trip. "We are also extremely thankful to our high school who really stepped up financially and made attending the competition possible for us!," Teasdale texted.
Team members include Kaitlyn Nickerson, Nayelie Aponte, Mariah Rodrigues, Madison Silvia, Skyla Matthews, Olivia Motta, Karah Dias, Anthony Muniz, Alexandria Therrien, Abby Correia, and Chayliese Perez. Tisdale is assisted by Kimberly Westgate.
The Bengals hope to put that ESPN Wide Worl of Sports experience to good use this Sunday. Both the Mayflower Athletic Conference and State Vocational championships will be determined by a single performance on the mat, at Tri-County Regional in Franklin, this Sunday.
Teasdale agrees that's some serious pressure, but "The kids are working hard! We are excited," she texted.
Email Greg Sullivan at gsullivan@heraldnews.com. Follow him @GregSullivanHN.
Hey Greg! We attended the National High school Cheerleading Championship in Orlando Florida at ESPN Wide World of Sports! This was Diman’s first time attending this national competition. We finished 17th in the Nation for small coed competing against team that had 20+ athletes! It was an amazing experience for us and proof that if you work hard enough for something , the sky is the limit! I am extremely proud of our athletes! We are very fortunate to have not only amazing athletes but amazing students and exceptional human being on and off the mat. We will head to our Mayflower championship and MVADA championship on 2/23 at Tri-County Regional in Franklin, Ma. We are also extremely thankful to our high school who really stepped up financially and made attending the competition possible for us!--
Greg Sullivan