IN THE WORLD OF CHEER, NEWHAM RANKS TOP

“Every community has its challenges.  It is how people respond to those challenges that determines the real heart of a community.  The “Location” index measures negative variables, and paints a bleak picture of our community.  That’s an injustice to all of the innovative people and positive developments that make Newham an exciting place to live,” said Shara Brice MBE and Director of Newham’s award-winning Ascension Eagles Cheerleaders.

In fact, in the world of cheerleading, if you want to be part of Britain’s best cheer squad, you need a Newham postcode.  “Every week we get calls from people who want to join Ascension Eagles.  Sometimes they pretend to have a Newham postcode, or they start a family search to see if they can find a relative who lives in Newham.  In the world of cheer, a Newham postcode trumps a posh London postcode every time!”

“We work with local youth, and build community from the grassroots.  We use championship-level cheerleading to build leadership and lifeskills; that’s how we make a transformational difference in our members and in our community.  We are just one of many organizations in Newham doing some pretty incredible work,” Shara continued.

“If the young people don’t live in Newham, then we help them to find their local squad, or offer to help them start their own squad through our London Cheerleading Academy outreach.  We worked with 2000 youth through LCA last year alone, so that gives you an idea of the interest in cheerleading.  We hold the monthly LCA workshops in Newham, at The Royal Docks Community School, opposite London ExCeL.  People have traveled down from Manchester, and even from Germany and Holland to attend.  They are impressed with our transport options, and love all the activities we have going on in our community.  Our Newham young people have traveled quite a bit, and know how fortunate they are to be living in a regeneration area that has so much potential.  Sure, it will bring challenges as well.  But it’s up to us to work together to turn those challenges into opportunities.”

The Ascension Eagles know how it feels to place last.  It happened to them – once.  At their first National Championship back in 1997, after the squad had been together 5 months, they placed last in their division.  Current Head Coach Angela Brown was 14 at the time, and remembers that first competition.  “We did not like how it felt to be ranked bottom.  To hear your schools are at the bottom of the tables, and your community tops the ranking for worst crime or unemployment statistics is not a positive way to grow up.  We didn’t like coming last and so we put our energy into an area where we could do something about it.”

The following year at Nationals, Ascension Eagles won 7 trophies, including two first place titles.  “We proved that we could work together to defy the odds and come out on top,” Miss Brown said.

They did not stop there.  Over the past decade, Ascension Eagles have broken all the records as they have entertained more than 200 million people and have won over 300 trophies.  They are consistently ranked as the best of over 11,000 British Cheerleaders.

“Some squads – particularly those we compete against in the States – are highly selective.  They recruit top talent, train in purpose-built facilities and have the financial freedom to do whatever they choose,” 18-year-old Tovonya Raybe said.  Tovonya volunteers over 200 hours each year as she helps coach Ascension Eagles teams.   “Ascension Eagles are different.  Each September we take local kids off the street with no previous experience and by the end of the year we help them to become National Champions.”

Not only that, but these Newham young people go on to compete alongside the best in the World. The invitation-only Cheerleading Worlds was launched in 2004 and consisted of top USA teams competing for World titles.  In a relatively short span of time the Worlds has grown into an international phenomenon, and now draws top talent from the four corners of the globe.  At the 2007 Cheerleading and Dance Worlds, 70 international teams and 200 USA teams competed for World titles.   www.usasf.net

Ascension Eagles were England’s first-ever team to compete at the 2006 Cheerleading World Championships, where they were ranked 12th in the World.  In 2007, they ranked 7th.  They are determined to build upon what they have learned and improve their world ranking in 2008, despite the barrier of needing to raise a tremendous amount of funding to be able to compete at World level.

Founder and President of the Cheerleading Worlds, Jim Chadwick said, "The winds of change are blowing across the world of competitive cheerleading and Newham’s Ascension Eagles are at the forefront. This team has risen from humble beginnings to become one of the leading all-star cheer programs in the world based on the leadership of Shara Brice, Angela Brown, and their athletes and parents. Placing 7th in the World in the International Open All Girl Division is a tremendous accomplishment, considering only the top 1% of teams were invited to compete, and this placing is a dramatic improvement over their 12th place finish in 2006. Importantly, the level of international competition has increased dramatically since 2006 so the placing improvement is especially meaningful. Congratulations to the Ascension Eagles for representing the UK in such a spectacular manner at the 2007 Cheerleading Worlds -- as much for their performance skills as the way they were admirably positive role models for all of the other competitors."

In addition to gaining championship-level cheerleading skills, these East End youth gain leadership and lifeskills that enable them to serve as ambassadors on a regional, national and international level. They have served as Official Cheerleaders for UEFA SuperCup Monaco, FA Cup, FA Community Shield Wembley, Women’s UEFA and FA Cups, London Marathon, London Triathlon, London Knights and for the closing of Arsenal’s Highbury as well as the opening of Wembley. Through year-round activities, they learn to transfer their cheerleading success into the other parts of their lives.  In addition to engaging 100 young people in twice weekly year-round training sessions, the program also works with over 2000 youth annually through its London Cheerleading Academy outreach.  What started as an East End outreach to keep kids off the street in a deprived neighbourhood is now recognized as one of the UK’s most effective youth programs. 

“Ascension Eagles are just one of Newham’s success stories,” said Shara Brice.  “When you are looking for news, you can always find it, and you can choose to tell the good stories or the bad stories.  I think inspiring people with what can be accomplished is always preferable to focusing on the negative.  The way people respond to challenge shapes their character, and ultimately, their destiny.  Ascension Eagles are a product of Newham’s environment.  I wouldn’t have it any other way!”