Orillia cheerleaders prepare for international competition

Only a few years after opening, an Orillia cheerleading gym is preparing to send three of its teams to a worldwide competition.

Cheer Sport Sharks Orillia is the sunshine city's only gym for cheerleaders. Teanna Larmand first opened the facility in 2017, and in that short period, she's trained up many young stars now preparing for the All-Star Worlds Championships in Orlando, Fl.

"Our girls have worked endlessly all season to achieve these things," Larmand says. "When you go to competitions, we can apply for bids to get to go to these competitions in Florida. Luckily we got three, which is amazing, so that's what we're prepping for."

The Bamboo Sharks, a U-12 All-Star Level 1 Team, The Valley Sharks, a U-16 Level 2 Team, and the Black Spotted Sharks, a U-16 Level 3 team, will compete in May. The teams are fundraising with a silent auction to ensure nobody is left behind due to financial reasons.

Prizes include signed Austin Matthews merchandise, a helicopter ride, and a trip to Niagara Falls.

Larmand says the teams have competed throughout the province, but this is a first for both her and the athletes.

"I think we're going for the experience itself. Our athletes, they are very hardworking, they are very dedicated, they are very talented," she says. "I think we're all on the same page that we're going as a family to go to Orlando, and we're really just going for the experience, and if we place top parts, then that's going to be amazing!"

If you are interested in learning more about the silent auction, click here.