The U.S. National Teams Prepare To Compete At ICU

The U.S. National Teams Prepare To Compete At ICU

The Premier U.S. National teams prepare for the 2017 International Cheer Union (ICU) competition in Orlando, FL.

Apr 19, 2017 by Jessica Baker
The U.S. National Teams Prepare To Compete At ICU

We're taking four months worth of work and condensing that into 10 days.
Every April you'll find a group of the most elite athletes in the nation gathered together for training. And it's not just any training -- it's the Premier U.S. National teams.

After gaining Provisional Olympic status last December, the cheerleading teams' appearance and debut has been much anticipated in and out of the cheer world. This recognition from the Olympic Committee is something the cheerleading world has been looking forward to for a long time.

The USA Cheer is the winningest team in the International Cheer Union. Winning teams are awarded an ICU World Champion ring.
Winning teams are awarded an ICU World Champion ring.

The two Premier teams representing the U.S. are comprised of the very best cheerleaders in the world. They come from top colleges and all star teams in hopes earning International Cheer Union (ICU) titles. The United States of America has earned the most gold medals to date, and every season pushes the limits of physics and physical strength with their innovative stunts, pyramids and tumbling passes.

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University of Kentucky athletes Megan Glisson & Joe Brown perform an extended hand-in-hand on the first day of training.

The two Premier teams, All Girl and Coed, will take the mat in Orlando at the 2017 championship April 27th -28th to present routines they pieced together in a 10-day training period. Under two weeks is not a lot of time for a team of strangers to come together to perfect the most difficult routine in the world, but somehow they make it look easy.

Their training takes place in Georgia at the LakePoint athletic complex, far from distractions and the familiar surroundings of their hometown gyms. The athletes are led by a world-class coaching staff and looked after by specialty athletic trainers on a daily basis. This is the perfect environment for the teams to prepare for the ICU.

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U.S. National team athletic trainer Anda Udris works with Coed team member Brittany Peters before practice.

The Premier All Girl team is coached by Tony Nash, Savanna Sibley and Leighton Clarke who are seasoned veterans when it comes to elite cheerleading skills and training. Each have multiple titles to their name and are well-known for their coaching methods and leadership. Coach Nash tells us what to expect from the U.S. heading into the championship.

I'm excited for all of the teams with USA Cheer. We have 8 teams that will represent the United States in competition at the ICU World Championships. It's important for us to represent our country to the best of our abilities and make our fans, supporters, alumni, and athletes proud. As a coach for the U.S. All Girl National Team, we look forward to our competitive division in the Premier division. We continue to push ourselves daily to put our best skills on the mat to showcase the abilities of the team. We are successful because of the strong tradition that our past has created.

We are looking forward to the ICU Championships and showing the world what our short time of training can create.
The All Girl group consists of 9 veterans and 26 rookies and was formed in late January at a live tryout where their skills are assessed and tested. Kelsey Davis, a 3rd year on the team is looking forward to taking the stage at the ESPN Wide World of Sports.

Being at ICU is a really humbling experience. As a part of the USA Cheer team you're an example for cheerleaders around the world. Representing my country on a stage shared with the best cheerleaders in America is truly an honor.
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The All Girl team huddles around team coach Tony Nash on day one of training at Lake Point.

Led by coaches LeRoy McCullough, Christa Sanford and Alli Lumpkin, the Premier Coed team is made up of 30 athletes total, but only 24 will be performing on competition day. Known for bringing new, never-before-seen skills to the mat, LeRoy and his team plan to live up to those expectations in 2017.

The team this year is working hard towards hitting this routine with zero deductions two days in a row. Beating the routine is our sole focus.
Veteran team member Brittany Peters has been on the team for a total of three seasons, and is known for her leadership on and off the mat. Peters tells us more about her goal on the team this year.

This team is the most talented team I've ever been a part of, and I am incredibly excited for the routine we are creating together. My goal this year is to hit another zero and execute the routine perfectly.
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Just a few hours into training, the Coed team hits a rewind, 1-1-1. (Top girl, Jacqui Lopez and Middle base, Millery Null)


After the 10-day training in Georgia, the teams will bus to Orlando for the 2-day ICU Championship to represent all of America as the U.S. National Team. A lot is on the line, and they're doing all they can to put together a perfect performance.

Will bring back the gold medal? Follow the team on social media and cheer them on as they prepare to impress cheer fans around the world.

GOOD LUCK, USA CHEER!

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Watch the US Coed National Team claim its gold medal at the 2017 ICU World Cheerleading Championship!