University Cheer expose : Leeds Trinity Titans

 

 

Hey guys,

Today we are speaking to Millie who is the new coach for Leeds Trinity Titans. We are finding out what cheerleading is like when you attend a small university. Does the size of your university effect you cheerleading experience lets find out.

Tell us about Leeds Trinity Titans  cheer history.”

Leeds Trinity Titans is only a small team as it’s only a small university. It has always been coached by team members and does really well considering there is no constant professional coaching. The past three years the Titans have places in the top 10 every year at FC University Nationals, making one of these top 10 placings a National Championship title. The year we won we did have some help from an Aviators Coach, and we do occasionally get help from other teams towards competition, such as White Rose Cheer which we really appreciate.

Is cheerleading team consider a sport or a society at Leeds Trinity university ?

Our Cheerleading team is considered a sport. This is because we participate in physical training for what we do. I personally am really happy it’s a sport because it is getting the recognition it deserves, as a challenging physical activity, like football and rugby for example.

Do you get any support from your university?

We work closely with the Union Sports Co-ordinator and the vice president and president of the university. They help to organise everything all the sports and societies may need. I think the university are really good at working with us to ensure we have everything we need to run a successful team, they also help us with uniform, kits, and budgets etc.

How many teams do you have and what does each team do?

As we are only a small university we only have one team. We are a Level 2 all girl competition team currently. This means we compete in competitions across the country against other university teams at competitions such as Future Cheer, Legacy, and BCA. Competitions are what we work to each season but we also enjoy looking at any other opportunities that present themselves to us. Any showcasing or advertisement we can get is always good.

How many hour a week do you train

We train for twice a week for an hour and a half. Then closer to competition we might add extra time or extra sessions on.

What was your biggest achievement last season?

I think our biggest achievement last season was having a lot of people new to cheerleading that didn’t know anything about it, and seeing them taking on level 2 standard roles in both tumbling, and stunting.

How do you decide what competition you are going to attend?

Deciding what competition, we want to attend can be tricky. Ultimately it comes down to budget and location. The teams committee will get together to discuss location, entry fees and how much money we have. We try to do things throughout the year to get as much money as we can, like fundraising and making sponsorship deals. We don’t like to ask team members for lots of money because students are on a budget and cheerleading can be very expensive. We want everyone to be able to participate meaning keeping costs to a minimum. We do also however take into consideration the atmospheres created by different competition to ensure we attend a smoothly run competition that everyone will enjoy.

What was your favourite cheerleading competition of the past season?

We only got to do one competition last season unfortunately due to budget. We did however really enjoy it. We attended FC University Nationals in Birmingham where we placed 10^th. We were really proud of our top ten finish, we had lots of injuries and swap arounds really close to competition, so considering the circumstances everyone did extremely well. I think what we put out on the mat was definitely something to be proud of. Some people on the team had never been to a cheerleading competition before and the vibe is hard to understand if you’ve not experienced it. Getting into your uniform, doing each other’s hair and makeup, and supporting each other really bonded the team further. We also did a nice little thing where we each picked a name out of a hat and made a little keepsake to say well done for after we competed, so everyone gave and received one and I thought it was lovely.

Does your team do other things apart from compete?

Last year we did a showcase at half time at one of the football teams matches. It was good to get out pre-comp nerves and get people used to performing. It was good fun as we got to put on our uniforms and make a name for ourselves around campus. We also do social nights out which range from going to bars and clubs to having cosy nights in with a takeaway.

What are your goals for this season?

I think our goals for this season are to improve skills and gain new ones, sharpen up technique and improve on our placings. Hopefully we can do more than one competition so we can see improvements in our routine throughout the season. We also want to welcome freshers and get more people involved.

It’s that time of year where you guys will be recruiting what you are looking for from student?

All we really want are people that have enthusiasm and determination. We need people that want to commit and work hard, be that boys or girls. A background in dance/gymnastics or cheerleading would be beneficial but is definitely not required as we love a challenge. It’s really exciting helping people learn new things and making new friends.

Why should people join your team?

The Titans has been such a fun experience for me. I’m just about to start second year and the people I am living with I met through joining this team. They are such a welcoming bunch of girls and I know I have definitely gained some amazing friends thanks to them. It’s a chance to learn new things, keep active and meet people you wouldn’t have. You bond with people not just in your year group too which I think is good. It is open to everyone so nobody should feel like they can’t try out for the team. Even if you don’t make the competition squad you can still be part of the team and come to training and socials.

What useful skills has cheerleading taught you?

Cheerleading has taught me lots of skills. I think the main skill is team work, you all have ideas and really do have to work together to make the routine work. It is by no means an individual sport. Time management, organisation and social skills have also been gained, making sure you are on time for practise, and still fit in the rest of your uni life around it can be difficult, but if you enjoy it you’ll figure it out.

Are there any transferable skills that you have learnt from cheer that you can use later on in life?

All these skills are transferable into the work place, and have benefited me on work placements. Leadership skills can also be developed if you have a role on the committee, such as captain or social sec.

What would your lives be without cheer?

I think without cheer my first year of university would have been very different. As I previously mentioned I found friends at cheer that I am now living with for my second year. Also gaining friends in the years above and going out on socials with them is really fun, it’s just a different experience to just going out on a normal night with your mates from halls. It can also give you a break from the stresses of life and uni work. For the hours you’re at training, you just get to focus on that and have fun with your friends. It’s a really good release from anything that might be worrying you.

Do you guys use social media platforms?

We do have Facebook, Instagram, and twitter but I don’t think we use them as much as we could. This year we really want to do more social media advertising to really show people what we do and hopefully inspire more people to join next season. We are also looking to possibly make a snapchat account so people can follow us closer. (@ltutitanscheer

Is there any other information you would like to share with CFHTT?

I think just that if you’re considering joining a cheer team either at home or university, you definitely should. It really develops your character and you really do make friends for life.

Lastly what is your favourite UK Cheer team (apart from your team) and your favourite International cheer team and why?

 

I really can’t choose my favourite UK team as I really enjoy watching all the talent, my favourite division is Coed

5, the routines are so exciting to watch, and my favourite uni team is probably Birmingham Pussycats.

I think their routines are really well rehearsed and they have a good skill level and a lot of sass. My favourite international team is Cheer Sport Sharks Great White Sharks. I have loved this team since I got involved in the IOAG5 division myself. They just make it look easy and the skills they execute just really inspire me. The technique, performance and skill level is mesmerising and they are just a joy to watch perform. Getting to see them live at Worlds was something I will never forget, and I also really enjoyed watching their Netflix series.