CHEERLEADING

Affinity Cheerleading Academy was added to the Affinity Gymnastics Academy programme in 2020. The addition of Cheerleading is considered complimentary to our gymnastics programme and cheerleaders at Affinity have the benefit of training in a dedicated facility with the use of sprung floor, dead floor and specialist tumbling equipment.

Cheerleading involves a choreographed combination of gymnastics tumbling, acrobatic stunts, jumps and dance. It is a team sport that relies on willingness to learn, regular attendance, and team spirit!

RECREATIONAL CHEERLEADING 

Recreational Class

• Suitable for ages 6 – 12 years
• No experience required.
• 1 hour training per week
  • Sunday 4 pm – 5pm
• Can start at any point in the year
• Great for building the foundational skills of cheerleading

Tumble class

• Best suited to athletes who are comfortable doing handstands and cartwheels and want to extend their tumble to work on round offs, walkovers, and handsprings.
• Wednesday 7:15 – 8:00 pm

COMPETITIVE CHEERLEADING

Competive Class

• Athletes must trial for the team
  • Prior experience in cheerleading, gymnastics, dance, or aerobics can be beneficial but is not required.
  • Looking for athletes with tumble skills such as round off, backward walkover, and front walkover
• Suitable for ages 11 – 18 (age is determined at 31 December 2023)
• Twice weekly training
  • Sundays 5 pm – 7pm
  • Wednesday 6:15 pm – 7:15 pm
• Full year commitment required
• Attendance at the scheduled competitions required (please see competitions).

Competitions

We offer participation in competitions for both team routines and specialty items.

A team routine combines all the elements of cheerleading (standing and running tumble, acrobatic stunts, pyramid, jumps, and dance) into 2.5-minute performance. A team can consist of 6 – 30 athletes. Those enrolled in competitive cheerleading will compete a team routine as competitions.

A specialty division focus on some of the elements of cheerleading for a 1-minute performance. Specialty divisions available are:

• Group Stunt, a group of 4 or 5 people performing stunts
• Partner Stunt, a group of 2 people performing stunts
• Indi/Solo, an individual performs a combination of jumps, tumble, and dance.
• Duo, a group of 2 performs a combination of jumps, tumble, and dance.

Competition Schedule

1. South Island Showoffs, Sunday 23 July, Trafalgar Centre, Nelson. https://showoffs.co.nz/
2. Alpine Classic, Sunday 17 September, Mainpower Stadium, Rangiora, Christchurch https://www.alpineclassic.co.nz/
3. CNZ Nationals, Saturday 21 October and Sunday 22 October (Labour Weekend), Christchurch Arena, Addington, Christchurch. https://www.cheerleadingnewzealand.co.nz/

Please email cheer@affinitygymnastics.co.nz if you are interested in our competitive cheering programme.

UNIFORM

For training: a form fitting t-shirt or singlet, sports leggings or fitted bike shorts, long hair tied up, no jewelry, and clean, white, soft soled shoes. Please avoid clothing items containing zips, belts, buckles, domes, or hoodies. Thermals and crew neck sweatshirts are great in the cold weather.

For competing, the uniform will consist of cheer shoes, a cheerleading uniform, and sometimes hair accessories in the form of a bow or a scrunchie.

FEES

The fees per term are as follows;

• One-off membership fee: $20 (new members only)
• Recreational cheerleading: 1 hour per week, $159 per term.
• Competitive cheerleading: 3 hours per week, $330 per term.
• Tumble class: 45 minutes per week, $120 per term.

Trial sessions are available for $15 one-off payment.

The above fees do not include other costs associated with competing such as competition uniforms, travel and accommodation, and competition registration fees.

Please email cheer@affinitygymnastics.co.nz if you are interested in our cheering programme or have any questions.