Leeds Student Paper Again...

Once again, the Celtics made the student paper! Only This time on page 3!

To view the article click here or follow the link:

http://leedsstudent.lsrfm.com/news/Celtics+cheer+their+way+to+victory+and+win+record+of+six+trophies/

Sports Ball

Saturday 23 February saw the biggest sporting social event of the year; The Sports Ball, held at the Royal Armouries in Leeds. We were well represented and throughout the night the teams photos could be seen on the huge screens on stage.

Future Cheer Triumph

We competed for the very first time as a team last weekend at Future Cheer's Saturday Night Fever Competition.

After a full day of routines, the awards were announced. The Celtics took home four first place trophies for University/Open All-Girl Level 5, All-Girl Open Stunt Group Level 5, Mike and Rachel Partner Stunt level 6 and Co-Ed Open Stunt Group level 6. Two 2nd place trophies for University/Open Co-Ed 6 and Tim and Sarah Partner Stunt 5. They were also proud of James and Laura, Sophie and Jen who both entered Partner Stunt 5, placing 4th and 6th respectively.

This weekend was a tremendous accomplishment for the Celtics, seeing their Co-Ed Group Stunt defending their title for the 16th time in a row, their All-Girl team were favourites to win the Grand Champion title and their Co-Ed team displaying complex and inspiring stunts and pyramids previously unseen in the UK, securing their consistent ranking as some of Britain’s best cheerleaders.

Post comp, the training and competition pressure seems to have caught up with everyone, especially Laura who has Bronchitis! During the competition day I thought I was going to die; the night before I didn't comit to a basket and torpedoed head first into Tim Burnett's chest from my arabian split full basket leaving me seeing stars and one side of my neck was a lot bigger than the other!

Celtic's in the Dragon's Lair

Yesterday Sophie and I arrived at the Careers Centre on campus to pitch for the Leeds Celtics, to the Proctor and Gamble Dragon's Lair team in a bid to win the team £250 and then potentially £10,000.

We will find out later today!

My Celtics Really Are Lovely

Yesterday saw round one of our Celtic's photoshoot, which turned out to be a slight disaster. The studio man went missing and we were kicked out early, but it was a good turn out from the team considering the short notice.

Here are a few photos which will be appearing on our website http://www.celticcheer.co.uk/ shortly.

Tim's Diamond Head

Tim "The Machine" Stevenson saw this stunt whilst researching the cheerleading team at the University of Illinois wher he will be visiting later this year (when he scoots off to America as part of his PhD!)

...This is what happened when he tried it himself.

Celtics on BCC Radio Leeds

Saturday 9th February saw Sophie Ibbotson and Tim Peffers (or Peefers) and myself take to the airwaves at 11:40 on BBC Radio Leeds with DJ Graham Liver. We were interviewed covering topics from who the Celtics are, what cheerleading is and what we hope to achieve in the future.

The intention of our interview was to create a wider awareness for cheerleading as a sport; because cheerleading is not classed as a performing art or a sport it is almost impossible to secure sponsorship from companies who believe that we, in the words of Graham Liver, dance around with “pom poms and wear short skirts.”

We were asked if we could perform one of our Celtic ‘chants’ (in true stereotypical fashion) but considering the style of cheerleading we practice, namely stunts and gymnastics and the notable absence of the chanting, the producers decided not to record and broadcast a chant but instead concentrate on our team’s ambitions to compete abroad in May.

The interview can be heard on the Listen Again section on the BBC Radio Leeds website