Great Falls-based Rise Athletics competitive cheer team has made history by qualifying all three of their elite teams for the prestigious 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 been selected to participate in the prestigious event.
Rise Athletics owner Lani McCarthy expressed her excitement about the accomplishment, saying it is an honor for their small town and gym to have all three teams make it to the competition. The program started with just two teams and was renting space at a gymnastics gym five years ago, but has since grown to six teams with multiple regional and national championships, as well as appearances at world competitions.
The youth and junior teams received at-large bids this year, while the senior team was awarded a paid bid, meaning 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 excited to represent Great Falls and Montana on a global stage.
Rise Athletics is the only competitive cheer team in Great Falls and is also Montana’s only representative in this year’s world competition. Coach Emma McCarthy emphasized that representing Montana and cheerleading on a competitive stage is an important opportunity for both the team and for the sport as a whole. The All Star World competition will take place from April 18th through April 21st in Orlando, Florida where Rise Athletics will compete among some of the best cheer teams from around the world.
