If you’re a fan of cheerleading and dance, there was only one place to be on Sunday.
More than 1,400 athletes of all ages and from all over western Canada descended on Mosaic Place for the Best of the West Cheer and Dance Championships, marking the first major event of its kind for the sport in two years.
And it was an absolute highlight for Moose Jaw’s own Infinity Athletics, who had 14 groups performing across all age groups.
“It went amazing and it was such a fun day,” said coach Melissa Marzolf with Infinity Athletics. “For a lot of clubs, it was the first time they have performed in just just under two years. And for all clubs, this is the first one that we performed without masks, so we could see their smiling faces on the stage.”
Those smiling faces being able to see one another after so much time away from full competition was another highlight.
“They cheer each other on from team to team and they just love seeing each other even though it might be only once or twice a year,” Marzolf said. “And they get so excited to watch each other perform, it's so, so fun.”
The competition saw the ice surface transformed into a mat-covered venue perfect for spectators, with the change-over taking place literally minutes after the Moose Jaw Warriors game the previous night. Fans were able to even get close to the athletes from a special viewing area, letting the youngsters enjoy their parents watching them in action and vice versa.
And when Infinity Athletics were doing their thing, they did it very, very well, with a bunch of top-five finishes and one extra special result -- a Grand Champion for the Under-8 Comets.
“We did awesome, everyone did such a great job,” Marzolf said. “They were having so much fun out there and we’re so proud of them.”
Interestingly enough, the competition might not be a one-and-done for Moose Jaw. While the event was originally slated to take place in Regina, the winter festival in the Queen City forced organizers to find a new venue. Moose Jaw stepped up, and the rest is history.
“We've always thought about having a big competition here and then COVID hit so it didn't happen,” Marzolf said. “But now we think we might look into it and keep them coming here… It was the first time we never had to travel and it was kind of nice.”
The Best of the West is just the beginning for Infinity Athletics, as a host of competitions are in their future, including the Warman Cheer Classic major event in the second week of March, followed by provincials and a team trip to Vancouver in April.
“It's exciting to get back into it and just love it again and see them out there performing and get that competition feel back and we’re really looking forward to the rest of the season,” Marzolf said.
For full results from the event, be sure to check www.bestofthewestcheer.com, and for all the latest on Infinity Athletics, visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/moosejawcheer.
