SPIRIT CAN MEAN one thing in the arena of cheerleading and another in the development of a young person, but at Spirit Professionals, home of the Spirit Xplosion All Star Cheerleaders, the two are definitely intertwined. Their focus is to build champions in the sport of competitive cheerleading and in life by fostering the values of teamwork, selfconfidence, a competitive spirit, leadership, respect for others, fair play, good sportsmanship, humility, integrity, self-discipline and strong personal character. All members are offered the possibility of reaching their highest potential in a safe and state-of-the-art training environment. Owner and CEO William Yeates says, “Our training philosophy is that our greatest success comes not by focusing on the end result of winning, but rather by focusing on the daily process of hard work and dedication to all our values. We measure success not only by victories at competitions but also by the personal character our members build and demonstrate on a daily basis.”
In keeping with their dedication to developing all their students’ talents regardless of their current skill level, training programs offer many options. Their locations in Hammond and Madisonville offer individual instruction, team classes and summer camps.
Individual fall and spring instruction sessions require no tryouts and are geared for those interested in the sport but not interested in being on a team. For those seeking the benefits of group participation, the dynamic training center offers several options.
Non-competitive novice teams do not require tryouts, so everyone makes a team, but students are evaluated for proper level placement. These exhibition teams are a great choice for those that don’t have the time, financial resources or haven’t yet developed the skills to be on a competitive team. Exhibition Teams are taught routines and skills, but only perform rather than compete.
All Star Competitive Prep Teams are also open to all students, only requiring placement evaluation. This option is a great introduction to the sport of all star competitive cheer. Athletes aged four through 19 learn new skills, develop a sense of what it means to work together as a team for a common goal, and develop a sense of pride and sportsmanship while making life-long friendships. Routines have elements of tumbling, stunting, jumping, and dance skills set to music.
All Star Elite offers five levels of competitive teams with each level having skill requirements to make a team. And while each USASF certified coach focuses on the journey and development of each student, Spirit Professionals delivers winning teams also. Yeates is proud to announce, “So far this year, three Elite Spirit Xplosion teams— Ignite, Fire Crackers and Blitz—have earned the right to compete at The Summit All Star Cheerleading Championships in May at Walt Disney World in Orlando, with a few more expected to qualify.”
