0:00:02 > 0:00:05Three teams. They all want to win.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08But only the team that can throw highest, flip the fastest
0:00:08 > 0:00:12and pull off jaw-dropping stunts will take home the prize.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14First place goes to...
0:00:14 > 0:00:16They'll have to be totally fearless
0:00:16 > 0:00:19because the journey ahead could make...
0:00:20 > 0:00:23..or break them. Welcome to the world of cheerleading.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48People think cheerleading is boring.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50- Cheesy, American. - It's just pom-poms.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53- Pom-poms.- Pom-poms.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55- Girly.- Not a sport.
0:00:55 > 0:00:56Well, you're wrong.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59Cheerleading is one of the fastest-growing sports in the UK
0:00:59 > 0:01:00and one of the toughest.
0:01:02 > 0:01:04We are following the ups and downs of three top teams
0:01:04 > 0:01:06as they battle it out to be the best.
0:01:08 > 0:01:09The cheerleaders will be tested to
0:01:09 > 0:01:13their limits and we are with them every step of the way.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21In it together are reigning Grand Slam champs Unity Allstars.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24- The other teams better watch out. - Unity are going to smash it.
0:01:24 > 0:01:26Smash it.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30Hoping to explode onto the cheer scene are Rising Stars.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33- Rising Stars are in it to win it. - Rising Stars are coming for you.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36And with their eye on the prize are Ascension Eagles.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39Eagles are going to smash it and take the winning trophy home.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42- We are fierce and we are ready.- The other teams better watch their back.
0:01:42 > 0:01:44Yeah!
0:01:44 > 0:01:45Coming up -
0:01:45 > 0:01:49Rising Stars' shoddy stunts bring out coach Kat's tough side...
0:01:49 > 0:01:51You don't try, you've got to pay for it.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54..gravity gets the better of Lily's Eagles...
0:01:54 > 0:01:57Stop, stop, stop. I'm afraid for all of your safety.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00..and it's a disaster for Unity Allstars' Becky.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02Ow, ow, ow!
0:02:06 > 0:02:09ALL: We are Unity Allstars!
0:02:09 > 0:02:12Hoping to take on the trophy again this year are current
0:02:12 > 0:02:14champions Unity Allstars.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17Their teams have dominated the cheer world for years.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19Everyone wants to win that big trophy.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23Everyone wants to become champions. It's just a really nice feeling.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25No-one understands. When you've been with the team for so long
0:02:25 > 0:02:28and you win, it's just the best feeling.
0:02:28 > 0:02:33I like to pretend that I don't love winning, but I do love winning.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35OK, guys, you ready?
0:02:35 > 0:02:39Unity's junior division, Pearl, are coached by Tori and Dave.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42And last year, the 28-strong team won...
0:02:42 > 0:02:44Well, we'll let coach Tori tell you.
0:02:44 > 0:02:46They won ICC Southern, grand champions,
0:02:46 > 0:02:48Future Cheer Heart Of England, grand champions,
0:02:48 > 0:02:50IEC Nationals, grand champions
0:02:50 > 0:02:53and Future Cheer National, grand champions. They won everything.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59To 15-year-old team captain Lily,
0:02:59 > 0:03:03nothing is sweeter than her Unity team-mates.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06Cheer is basically like chocolate to me. I love chocolate.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09If you ask my friends, I'm always eating chocolate.
0:03:12 > 0:03:13I chose cheerleading
0:03:13 > 0:03:16because it's a sport where you can connect with people.
0:03:16 > 0:03:17Good job, Lily.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19We are all like sisters and brothers.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22We're just there to cheer and get on and work as a team.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24So, guys, listen.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26LAUGHTER
0:03:28 > 0:03:31Cheerleading definitely makes me feel special.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33When you're actually, like, performing and stuff,
0:03:33 > 0:03:36you feel, like, as if you're, like, a celebrity or something
0:03:36 > 0:03:38cos everyone is watching you.
0:03:38 > 0:03:39It's like a big thrill,
0:03:39 > 0:03:42like, performing in front of millions of people.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48Team Unity is made up of cheerleaders
0:03:48 > 0:03:50from all corners of Surrey.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52It's where Lily found her best friend Scarlett,
0:03:52 > 0:03:54and cheerleading is their life.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58Me and Scarlett are best friends at cheer.
0:03:58 > 0:04:02We basically go everywhere together.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04Lily is a great captain and friend.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07She's a massive part of our team. She really pulls us together.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09Like, if we didn't have her
0:04:09 > 0:04:11on our team, I don't know what we'd do without her.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14We just want to be, like, good role models within the cheer world.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17Being a cheer captain is a 24/7 job.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20Especially when your eight-year-old sister Holly
0:04:20 > 0:04:21hopes to follow in your footsteps.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24I want to be an amazing cheerleader like Lily.
0:04:26 > 0:04:31- Can I show you my stretch?- Yeah. Sure. Let me help you first.- OK.
0:04:32 > 0:04:33Yay!
0:04:34 > 0:04:37This season means more to Lily than ever as she leads Team Unity
0:04:37 > 0:04:40for the very first time.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43I was really happy that I was picked as captain.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46I'm the oldest in the team so I felt like it was my time
0:04:46 > 0:04:48to be a leading role.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50You really, really want to listen to what she's saying
0:04:50 > 0:04:52cos it's just so motivating.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54THEY CHANT
0:04:54 > 0:04:56I'm basically like another mum to them.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59I think Lily will lead us to victory this season.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04So, the pressure is on this season for Lily
0:05:04 > 0:05:09and the rest of Unity's junior team, Pearl, to continue their success.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11OK, guys, listen. You need to be in it.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13You need to know this routine inside out.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15And right now people are still doing silly things.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18Pearl have always been fierce on the floor. Always.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20Shall we go again? Let's do it.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22They've got just four months to come up with
0:05:22 > 0:05:25a two and a half minute competition routine
0:05:25 > 0:05:28packed with jumps, stunts and dance.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30Becky's group, take this line.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33Head coach Tori wants Unity off to a flying start
0:05:33 > 0:05:35so she's starting with the stunts.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38OK, let's give this a go. Ready?
0:05:38 > 0:05:42One, three, five, seven, eight, one.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45Bring your arms back down as you clean.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47You kind of cleaned like a monkey.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50Stunts are the showpiece of any cheer routine
0:05:50 > 0:05:52and can mean tonnes of points.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55A group of bases on the ground throw or lift
0:05:55 > 0:05:59the flyer into the air, allowing them to perform different shapes.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02To pull off a great stunt, teamwork is key.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05It just feels like you're actually flying.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08You're in the air and sometimes you don't feel like you're ever
0:06:08 > 0:06:09going to come down.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11The stunting is the thing that sets you apart,
0:06:11 > 0:06:14really, from the other teams. You know, winning or losing
0:06:14 > 0:06:16will often come down to your stunt section.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19I'd probably say that stunts were the hardest parts in the routines
0:06:19 > 0:06:22cos you have to make sure it looks perfect
0:06:22 > 0:06:25so you've got to make sure your flyer feels comfortable with you,
0:06:25 > 0:06:28and if they fall, we're, like, most likely not to win.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31Five, seven, eight, one.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35As you come down, I want you to try these. As you snap, hips...
0:06:35 > 0:06:40Hands here. Tight. Hips up and your toes down. Arch. Ready?
0:06:40 > 0:06:43The stunts are as tricky and as dangerous as they look,
0:06:43 > 0:06:45so don't try them at home.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48Unless, of course, you've got a specialist coach to hand.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51- I've had an elbow to the face. - Kneed in the mouth.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54- I know I guy who lost some of his teeth.- Kicked in the head.- Punched.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57You WILL hurt yourself and you WILL fall.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59You basically just learn to take it.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03Let's start doing some trophy drills, OK? Flyers, focus.
0:07:03 > 0:07:09Five, seven, one, three, five, seven, eight, one.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12But this year's stunts are harder than ever
0:07:12 > 0:07:14and Becky's group just can't keep up.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17Becky, darling, you're not even looking up.
0:07:17 > 0:07:18Don't look at the floor. Look up.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21To be a good flyer, you have to be able to perform so you have to be,
0:07:21 > 0:07:24like, quite confident and things, so, like,
0:07:24 > 0:07:28you look like you're having fun, I guess, in the air.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31I know you want to fly, so prove it by trying and looking up
0:07:31 > 0:07:33and having some confidence.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37I am worried about the difficulty of our stunts, so I'm unsure if
0:07:37 > 0:07:43we're going to get the difficult skills out in time for competition.
0:07:43 > 0:07:47Halfway through training, the stunts prove too much for Becky...
0:07:47 > 0:07:49Seven, eight, one.
0:07:49 > 0:07:50..and it ends in disaster.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55She lands badly on her ankle.
0:07:55 > 0:08:01What happened? Say it again to me, my love.
0:08:01 > 0:08:05Ow, ow, ow!
0:08:05 > 0:08:06Just relax it.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09It looked really painful, cos she was in tears and I've never seen
0:08:09 > 0:08:12Becky in tears before, cos she is quite a strong person.
0:08:12 > 0:08:16I just remember coming down and going over on my ankle.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21She just slipped and then she rolled her ankle inwards.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23It's quite swollen. She was in quite a bit of pain.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26Her mum's going to take her to A&E to get checked out, just to
0:08:26 > 0:08:27be on the safe side.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29OK. OK, we'll wait till you get here then.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32Hopefully it's just going to be a sprain.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34You'll be OK, won't you, Becks?
0:08:34 > 0:08:37When somebody has an accident within the gym,
0:08:37 > 0:08:41it basically has an effect on everybody.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44Like, especially if they, like, properly hurt themselves.
0:08:44 > 0:08:50It kind of gives everyone that sense of fear of some of the dangers
0:08:50 > 0:08:52that are in cheerleading.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54For the routine that we're creating at the moment,
0:08:54 > 0:08:58every athlete is needed, so, unsure at this moment what we're going
0:08:58 > 0:09:00to do if Becky's too injured to go on.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03It could put the team in jeopardy.
0:09:03 > 0:09:07A broken bone for Becky could open the door to Unity's rivals
0:09:07 > 0:09:10and leave their championship hopes shattered.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17Unity's biggest rivals are plotting their attack on this year's
0:09:17 > 0:09:20championships from the heart of East London.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23ALL: We are the Ascension Eagles!
0:09:24 > 0:09:28Ascension Eagles have always been a winning machine.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32I want to win the competition a lot.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34The Ascension Eagles are going to smash it this year.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37Their teams have represented England in the World Championships
0:09:37 > 0:09:41and smashed their competition in the UK and America.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43This year, the junior team have a lot of work to do
0:09:43 > 0:09:46and only four months to do it.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48I want to represent who I am as an Eagle
0:09:48 > 0:09:52and I want to represent London and also make my mother really proud.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55The Ascension Eagles are coached by Angela and Gareth
0:09:55 > 0:09:58and they have only one thing on their minds.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01We really want to win everything we enter this year.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04It's that prestige that shows that you're better than everybody else.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06Why enter if you're not going out to win?
0:10:09 > 0:10:12The Eagles are gearing up for the competition ahead
0:10:12 > 0:10:15and, like Unity, they're working hard on their stunts.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20Flyers can only look great if they have a strong base
0:10:20 > 0:10:23and Zach is one of the best in the cheer world.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26Hi, my name is Zach and I'm 13 years old and I've been cheerleading
0:10:26 > 0:10:27since I was six.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35For all of these people that are thinking that cheerleading is
0:10:35 > 0:10:38only just for girls, well, you're wrong.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41Zach's a really fun character.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44He's a good friend. He's always there for you. He is a leader.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49He's really encouraging and he always helps people.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52Potentially, Zach could be one of the greatest
0:10:52 > 0:10:53cheerleaders in the country.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58If Zach is back spotting you, I can tell you now,
0:10:58 > 0:11:00your stunt won't come down.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03He will do whatever he can to keep a stunt in the air.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06Cheerleading has changed Zach's life
0:11:06 > 0:11:09and no-one's noticed that more than his mum.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12That was good. That was good.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14'Zach is a show starter.'
0:11:14 > 0:11:17He comes alive when he's on stage.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21'The first time I saw him perform, I was like, "Whoa."'
0:11:21 > 0:11:23Wow.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25How does he do it? He makes it look easy.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30When you see Zach competing, he's got a smile on his face.
0:11:30 > 0:11:35He's loving it. And what more do you want in life...
0:11:35 > 0:11:36Yes. Yes.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39..than a child doing something that they love?
0:11:41 > 0:11:43Ascension Eagles is just like a family to me
0:11:43 > 0:11:48so I talk to them about anything. Being an Eagle is something special.
0:11:49 > 0:11:54With the support of my team around me, I can be who I want to be.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56When we are together, we are strong.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59We lift each other up and we can achieve anything.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07Zach met best mates Shola and Amanda at Ascension Eagles
0:12:07 > 0:12:10and they love to hang out away from training.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13ALL: Welcome to East London!
0:12:17 > 0:12:19The Ascension Eagles have come
0:12:19 > 0:12:23together from all over the East End of London.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26THEY HUM THE EASTENDERS THEME TUNE
0:12:26 > 0:12:28And you see the Thames.
0:12:31 > 0:12:32LAUGHTER
0:12:34 > 0:12:37If it wasn't for Ascension Eagles, me, Zach and Amanda
0:12:37 > 0:12:38wouldn't be friends.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40Guys, look.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42Within East London, the areas the children live
0:12:42 > 0:12:44are very separated, so, generally, you're not
0:12:44 > 0:12:48supposed to cross areas, cos it can cause conflict with other groups.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51But it's a nice area. If you don't mix with the wrong people, then...
0:12:53 > 0:12:55Somewhere like Ascension Eagles gets rid of that culture
0:12:55 > 0:12:59and children from different schools in different areas come together.
0:12:59 > 0:13:00I love East London, to be honest.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03It's just, like, sometimes they kind of annoy me,
0:13:03 > 0:13:07- but, yeah, it's my home town, so I love it.- Yeah.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09I wouldn't want to move anywhere else.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11Maybe they wouldn't have hung out outside of practice,
0:13:11 > 0:13:15but now, during practice, they're the best of friends.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17All right. Spread out and stretch.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20This season, the Eagles are competing at a higher level,
0:13:20 > 0:13:23against Unity's Pearl team, for the first time,
0:13:23 > 0:13:25so they really need to up their game.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28So, what I would like is I would like you guys to
0:13:28 > 0:13:29get into your stunt groups.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32Today, we're going to start with just basic loading,
0:13:32 > 0:13:34but also we need to use our technique.
0:13:34 > 0:13:35To beat champions Unity,
0:13:35 > 0:13:39the Eagles need to give their routine a real wow factor.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41Ready, and... Sh!
0:13:41 > 0:13:43Stand in your places, please.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45But the team isn't listening.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47Stop talking. Sh!
0:13:47 > 0:13:50So, as we start this season, our biggest issues seem to
0:13:50 > 0:13:54be that the kids aren't as focused as we would like them.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56Sh! Sh! Sh!
0:13:56 > 0:13:59I'm not going to name names, but some people just, like,
0:13:59 > 0:14:01- they don't listen at all. - They, like, talk.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04They talk and talk and talk and talk.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06They spend most of their session chatting or just
0:14:06 > 0:14:08whispering to each other and we have to spend
0:14:08 > 0:14:10most of our session telling them to be quiet,
0:14:10 > 0:14:13so we can actually teach them all the skills that they need to
0:14:13 > 0:14:16learn to get ready for the competitions coming up.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18No talking, please.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20This week, Angela decides enough is enough
0:14:20 > 0:14:23and calls in her secret weapon.
0:14:23 > 0:14:24Talking time is done.
0:14:25 > 0:14:31Kenny is a top American cheerleading coach and he's not feeling cheerful.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34I don't believe in punishing you for talking,
0:14:34 > 0:14:36I believe in making you better athletes for talking.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40Today we have a... American instructor
0:14:40 > 0:14:43called Kenny and he's here to help us with our stunts,
0:14:43 > 0:14:46help us make our routine much more better.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49I'm sure the kids do think that I'm not nice to them sometimes,
0:14:49 > 0:14:51and I am tough on them.
0:14:51 > 0:14:53When you hit on three, what don't you do after that?
0:14:53 > 0:14:55But, in comparison to someone like Kenny...
0:14:55 > 0:14:58Stop. Some of you just need to act like you care more.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00..you know, I'm like Mary Poppins.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04Five, six, seven, jump, one and three. Stop.
0:15:04 > 0:15:05Can you guys sit down for a second?
0:15:05 > 0:15:08I don't know what pace you're used to working at, but for me to get
0:15:08 > 0:15:12stuff done I need you to snap out of whatever la-la land you're in, OK?
0:15:12 > 0:15:14I'm not really here for you to love me
0:15:14 > 0:15:16and want me to come back and coach you every day.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18I'm here so we can get stuff done.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22I think it's a good thing, because if you're too, like, nice
0:15:22 > 0:15:25on cheerleaders, then they don't really get anything done.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29One, hit on three. No, you don't get to move. You get to smile. Hold it.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31Put your thumb under the foot.
0:15:31 > 0:15:33It's really hard when they're screaming at us all the time.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35Get that hand off her ankle.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39They'll just be like, "Amanda, can you please do the correct grip?
0:15:39 > 0:15:41"You're not gripping her properly!"
0:15:41 > 0:15:44What are you doing, giving massages to the top of the foot?
0:15:44 > 0:15:46Get your thumb under the shoe.
0:15:46 > 0:15:51Kenny's no-nonsense approach quickly knocks the Eagles into shape.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55Stop and come down. That's good. You're smart. Very good.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58But not every group is flying high.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00Don't move your feet so much.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04Seven, dip, one, up, three. Hold.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06No. Get off your heel. That's you.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10When you get dropped in the stunt room, it's really hard,
0:16:10 > 0:16:12because, like, it DOES hurt.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15Lily's group can't keep her in the air,
0:16:15 > 0:16:18so Kenny uses Zach's group to show them how it's done.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21This is all a learning lesson. Don't mess up.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24Don't make me look bad, dude.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27One, hit, three, four, five, six, seven.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30Clean. One, two, three. One. Keep her foot flat.
0:16:30 > 0:16:32Honey, you pull them tight.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34But, for Lily, things go from bad to worse...
0:16:37 > 0:16:39You are challenging me tonight.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41Dip, one, up, three.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44..and it all ends in tears.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46OK, stop, stop, stop, stop.
0:16:46 > 0:16:51Lily falls, giving Paulina a foot in the face on the way down.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54At some point, as a coach, I have to realise you're just dangerous.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57At this point, you're dangerous. You just aren't going to participate
0:16:57 > 0:17:00because I'm afraid for all of your safety.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05You just get up and do it again. Cos it is...
0:17:05 > 0:17:08It is a dangerous sport, but it's fine.
0:17:08 > 0:17:12With Lily's group banished to the sidelines and other Eagles dropping
0:17:12 > 0:17:16like flies, the training session looks set to end in disaster.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20But, just as spirits are falling, there is
0:17:20 > 0:17:22a glimmer of hope for the Eagles.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25You're the only one in the air! You're awesome!
0:17:25 > 0:17:27Come on down.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31Zach's group finally gives Kenny a reason to be cheerful.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34And the stunts start improving.
0:17:34 > 0:17:38One, up, three. Yes. Again.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41Five, six, seven, dip. One, spin, three.
0:17:43 > 0:17:44Hey.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47Hey, hey, hey!
0:17:47 > 0:17:51Come on down. Good job, guys. All right, come in here.
0:17:55 > 0:18:00I think, a slow start, but after a few repetitions,
0:18:00 > 0:18:02they started to pick it back up.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04In the end, we did get a lot done.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07If you can please promise me that you'll take that and you can
0:18:07 > 0:18:10work it to perfection, then I don't care how long it took to get there.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14- Promise?- Mm-hm.- Thank you so much for having me.- ALL: Thank you.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17Oh, you're welcome. High-fives, everybody. One, two, three. Noom!
0:18:17 > 0:18:19Despite some success,
0:18:19 > 0:18:22Kenny's not convinced the team are on winning form...yet.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25You know what? If the championships were next week,
0:18:25 > 0:18:26I'd be a little worried because
0:18:26 > 0:18:28at this point, this practice, they got left in the dust.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31Cos we have to work for it and we have to improve, like,
0:18:31 > 0:18:35on our grips. We have to improve a lot of things to make it work.
0:18:35 > 0:18:36And that's what I'm really worried about.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39We have to up our game or it's not going to work.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44200 miles away in Manchester
0:18:44 > 0:18:48are Unity and Ascension Eagles' Northern rivals.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50ALL: We are Rising Stars!
0:18:52 > 0:18:54I definitely want to win a lot this year.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58Every competition, I want to go to and give it my all.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00The Rising Stars senior teams have qualified
0:19:00 > 0:19:04for the World Championships for the last five years.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08Now the junior team is hot on their heels for their own big prize.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11This season, I'd like to be able to, like, win all the competitions
0:19:11 > 0:19:15so we could say, like, we've been undefeated all season.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19Leading the team is coach Carly, who has high hopes for this season.
0:19:19 > 0:19:24We are going to win, cos Northerners are the best.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27We've got loads of ideas for your routine for this year.
0:19:27 > 0:19:31It's really important we step up our game. Are we ready for it, guys?
0:19:31 > 0:19:34- ALL: Yeah!- Going to work hard? - ALL: Yeah!- All right.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37- Let's get going then.- Yeah.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42One cheerleader who is ready for anything this season
0:19:42 > 0:19:43is fearless flyer Emily.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47My name is Emily.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50I'm 15 years old and I've been cheerleading since I was nine.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59As a flyer, my job is to basically stay tight and be
0:19:59 > 0:20:02confident as they, like, throw me through the air and, like, make
0:20:02 > 0:20:07sure I pull all my shapes and, like, do all the twists I'm supposed to do.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11I like being a flyer because, like, you get to show off a little bit.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16Rising Stars is like my second family.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20We all get along and, like, we all help each other.
0:20:23 > 0:20:27Emily and Jess are Rising Stars team-mates.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30They're so cheer crazy they travel over 300 miles
0:20:30 > 0:20:34a week from their homes in Blackpool to training in Manchester.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40Cheer is, like, basically a main part of our friendship, isn't it?
0:20:40 > 0:20:44Because we're both, like, so into it and, like, so involved in cheer.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46One, two.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49We always just spend time making up routines or even,
0:20:49 > 0:20:52like, daft little things like... Yeah.
0:20:52 > 0:20:58- And make up our own little stunts. - Our life is basically cheer.- Yeah.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01- Life equals cheer.- Yeah.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04Like most cheerleaders, they're thrill seekers.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06We're going up there.
0:21:06 > 0:21:10To, like, be a cheerleader, you need to have lots of confidence,
0:21:10 > 0:21:12- don't you?- Yeah.- And you can't really have any fears
0:21:12 > 0:21:15because otherwise you won't be able to do much.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17- Yeah.- You'll just be scared of everything.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19Come down towards me now.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22- I think we're definitely both adrenaline junkies.- Yeah.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24She's a bigger one than me.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29One, two, three.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32THEY SCREAM
0:21:40 > 0:21:43THEY SCREAM
0:21:43 > 0:21:46That was amazing. I want to do it again.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51For Emily, cheerleading isn't just a big thrill.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54Doing a sport like cheerleading is really good for me
0:21:54 > 0:21:57because I have chronic disease called cystic fibrosis.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59It affects my lungs.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01My lungs get filled with sticky mucus
0:22:01 > 0:22:03and it makes it hard for me to breathe.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07Sometimes it gets me upset and down but then I think of cheerleading
0:22:07 > 0:22:10and it instantly puts me in a happy mood.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14Cheer helps me clear my chest and I can breathe much easier.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18Cheer makes me feel positive about everything and really motivated.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20It makes me feel like I can do anything.
0:22:23 > 0:22:27I take about 60 or 70 tablets a day.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32It can be hard but obviously I'm used to it now.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34It's just part of everyday life.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39I've got an airways clearance vest and basically it's like a life jacket
0:22:39 > 0:22:44and it can vibrate up to 20 times per second, which helps
0:22:44 > 0:22:47break down all the mucus so it's not sitting in my chest.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51VIBRATING: And then it makes me sound like a sheep.
0:22:53 > 0:22:54Baaa!
0:22:56 > 0:22:59I definitely don't want CF to stop me doing anything.
0:22:59 > 0:23:04Like, I'm quite active. I definitely don't want it to stop me doing cheer.
0:23:04 > 0:23:09Cheer is, like, in every day of my life, so if CF stopped me doing
0:23:09 > 0:23:12a competition, or even a training session,
0:23:12 > 0:23:14I'd get, like, upset about it.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16She's an inspiration to me, really.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19When I'm feeling a bit down, I can just look at Emily
0:23:19 > 0:23:23and just think, "Look what she's going through."
0:23:23 > 0:23:28I've never missed a competition tour yet, so fingers crossed I never will.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41In four months' time Emily and the other 25 Rising Stars will be
0:23:41 > 0:23:45competing against not just the North, but the rest of the country.
0:23:45 > 0:23:46So they need to step it up
0:23:46 > 0:23:50if they're to master the toughest skills needed to win the top prize.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52So, guys, listen up.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55And, like their rivals, they're starting with the stunts.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58We've got to look at each stunt individually and see
0:23:58 > 0:24:00if we need to simplify it today.
0:24:00 > 0:24:04OK? Lydia's side first and then we'll do this side.
0:24:04 > 0:24:05Right, let's go then, teams.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09But the Rising Stars' season is off to a shaky start with
0:24:09 > 0:24:13the high-level stunts proving a big challenge.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16When it isn't going right, to a flyer,
0:24:16 > 0:24:18you kind of panic for a minute
0:24:18 > 0:24:21because you don't know what you're going to do cos you don't know
0:24:21 > 0:24:23if you'll hurt yourself or just fall.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25Why are we not using our legs?
0:24:25 > 0:24:27Why are we trying to lift your flyer up in the air with not
0:24:27 > 0:24:30using our legs? It isn't going to work. Go again.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32Five, six, seven, eight.
0:24:32 > 0:24:39One, two, three, four, dip, five, six, seven, eight. No. Go again.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45- Why are we bending our legs? - I don't know.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48When a stunt goes wrong, it knocks your confidence a lot
0:24:48 > 0:24:51because then you feel like it's never going to work again.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55Don't fly with bent legs, please. One, two, three, four.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58Straight legs. Straight legs. Right.
0:25:00 > 0:25:01Having a bit of an off-day today.
0:25:01 > 0:25:06I don't think it's the case that they can't do the skills.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09It's that they've not really come in with the right attitude.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12OK, so we can't even do a straight up lift.
0:25:12 > 0:25:16- It's not working. - Yeah, it's not really working.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20One, two, dip, three, four, five.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22Cheer can be, like, quite hard.
0:25:22 > 0:25:27Your flyers are tiny. You should be able to do this with one hand.
0:25:27 > 0:25:32The stunts might not be, like, consistent and they might fall.
0:25:32 > 0:25:36Dip, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. One, to...
0:25:36 > 0:25:40When stunts fall, team-mates like Amy get hurt.
0:25:43 > 0:25:47Hallie kneed Amy in the face and her teeth went in her gum.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51I bit myself, I think. I felt really dizzy.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53It just started bleeding.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58One, two, three, four, stand, five, six... Stand up.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01It's not a stunning start to the season...
0:26:01 > 0:26:02Go again.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04..and coach Carly is not impressed.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07I think you've just got yourselves some conditioning at the end
0:26:07 > 0:26:11there, guys. We're not happy with what you've done today at all.
0:26:11 > 0:26:13OK, we've gone really far down.
0:26:13 > 0:26:17If you thought American coach Kenny was tough, meet Rising Stars'
0:26:17 > 0:26:21assistant coach Kat, who hands out their punishment.
0:26:22 > 0:26:26I like being good cop and she's the bad cop.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30If you don't try, you've got to pay for it. Press-ups.
0:26:30 > 0:26:34Down, chests to the floor and up.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37When you get, like, conditioning, it's definitely like getting
0:26:37 > 0:26:41a detention at school, but in cheerleading terms.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44One minute.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49I know how hard it is, but it does feel good to see them suffer,
0:26:49 > 0:26:52because I know in the end it will help them.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57I definitely think, like, the conditioning will push us
0:26:57 > 0:27:00- all to work harder.- I think next week you don't want to drop any stunts.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03You're just going to fight for them to stay up.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07- Come round. Was that hard?- Yes.
0:27:07 > 0:27:11Yeah. So, next week, are we going to hit our stunts? Yes.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15- Big pinky promise. - ALL: Pinky promise.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18All three teams have got work to do if they want to be crowned champions
0:27:18 > 0:27:22when they go head-to-head in the National Championships.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24Do they think they can do it?
0:27:24 > 0:27:29- Yeah.- It was a bad day. We've done better.- We can do better.- We can.
0:27:29 > 0:27:30- We can.- Yes.
0:27:34 > 0:27:39Next time, Eagles' Amanda takes a tumble...
0:27:39 > 0:27:41You just went like this and panicked.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44..a new mascot gives Rising Stars a boost...
0:27:44 > 0:27:47He's going to be a little, like, cheer puppy.
0:27:47 > 0:27:51..and Unity Allstars face their worst fears.
0:27:51 > 0:27:53The worst thing I'd say is I wouldn't be able to
0:27:53 > 0:27:55recover in time for competition.