The Rise Athletics competitive cheer team from Great Falls is proud to announce that all three of their elite teams will be competing at the All Star World competition for the fourth consecutive year. This marks the first time in the program’s five-year history that all three elite teams have qualified for the prestigious competition. Rise Athletics owner Lani McCarthy expressed her excitement about the accomplishment, calling it an honor for their small town and gym to have all three teams make it to the competition.
When Rise Athletics first started, they had only two teams and were renting space at a gymnastics gym. Over the past five years, the program has grown to six teams with multiple regional and national championships, as well as appearances at the world competition. This year, the youth and junior teams received at-large bids, while the senior team was awarded a paid bid, which means that all expenses for the team to compete are covered by the competition.
The team members have worked hard all season and have won several big competitions leading up to the All Star World competition. They are feeling confident and are excited to represent Great Falls and Montana on the world stage. Rise Athletics is the only competitive cheer team in Great Falls and the only team from Montana to receive a bid to the world competition.
Coach Emma McCarthy highlighted the importance of representing Montana and cheerleading on a competitive stage. She emphasized that being able to showcase cheerleading as an athletic sport is a great opportunity, both for the team and for the sport as a whole. The All Star World competition will take place from April 18-21 in Orlando, Florida, where the Rise Athletics teams will compete among the best cheer teams from around the world.