A VILLAGE hall-based team of West Somerset cheerleaders has reached a world championship finals which is being held in Florida, USA.

Young athletes of South Coast Waves Cheerleaders have achieved what many thought would be impossible for a tiny rural club.

They entered the Showdown Elite competition in Wales and the Waves teams delivered their best performances ever to win the event and qualify for the world championships.

South Coast Waves is based in Washford Village Hall and began in 2017 as a grassroots cheerleading group.

Today, it has grown into a thriving community club with more than 70 local members, three competitive teams, and an events team, with two of those teams now poised to appear on the world stage.

South Coast Waves Cheerleaders will travel from tiny Washford to Florida, USA, after qualifying for their world championships.
South Coast Waves Cheerleaders will travel from tiny Washford to Florida, USA, after qualifying for their world championships. (Contributed)

All of the club’s coaches are volunteers, and each of the athletes is from the local community.

The programme includes four age-groups - minis, under-12s, under-14s, and a senior team, as well as a weekly open class where members can develop their skills, confidence, and fitness in a friendly and supportive environment.

In the Showdown Elite event, both the Tidals under-14 and Surge senior team earned bid-winning performances, finishing first in their divisions and securing invitations to compete at the 2027 Florida world championships, one of the most prestigious stages in international cheerleading.

In cheer terms, both Surge and Tidals ‘hit zero’ with their routines, meaning they achieved no deductions from the judges, an extraordinary feat at their level.

Their younger teammates in the under-12 Swirls also had a successful competition, placing third overall and also performing a ‘hit zero’ routine in another huge achievement for the club.

Head Coach Becky Smith said: “For a club from an extremely rural area with low social mobility, this success reads like a true Cinderella story.

It is a 'Cinderella' story for South Coast Waves Cheerleaders who are going from practising in their village hall in Washford to bidding to be world champions.
It is a 'Cinderella' story for South Coast Waves Cheerleaders who are going from practising in their village hall in Washford to bidding to be world champions. (Contributed)

“These athletes not only outperformed expectations at a major event but have now earned a once in a lifetime opportunity to represent their club and the South West on the world stage in Florida.

“To see these young people from our tiny village hall outshine so many other teams and earn the chance to compete in Florida is nothing short of breathtaking.

“They have trained so hard, lifted each other up, and shown what is possible when a community believes in its children.

“The club’s journey from weekly practices under the village hall roof to international recognition has inspired families and supporters across West Somerset and beyond.

“Parents have rallied behind fund-raising efforts, volunteers have given countless hours, and the athletes themselves have shown grit, dedication, and tremendous heart.”

Ms Smith said the milestone achievement also shone a spotlight on the growth of competitive cheerleading in the UK, with thousands of teams now regularly competing in regional, national, and international events, and only the very best earning bids to prestigious championships abroad.

She said: “The whole community is now backing the Waves as they prepare for their world debut with plans for fund-raising already underway.

“The journey ahead promises to be every bit as exciting as what they have already achieved.”