By CHRISTINE CHEAH
alltherage@thestar.com.my

ONE week more to the Cheer 2013 finals and we are proud to announce the champions of the Cheer Southern Region Finals – team Anselm from SMK Infant Jesus Convent, Malacca!

Last Saturday, the top secondary school cheerleading teams from the southern region gathered at the Hang Tuah Hall in Malacca to compete for one of three spots at the Cheer 2013 finals. The finals will be happening on June 29 and 30 at the Putra Indoor Stadium, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur.

As champions of the Southern Regionals, Anselm will be one of those teams, alongside the first and second runners-up Ignite Co-Ed of SMK Bandar Baru Uda and Voltage All-Girls of SMK Impian Emas.

Team Voltage All-Girls will be representing the southern region at Cheer 2013.

With so much at stake, the atmosphere at the event was electric as friends, former school mates and parents packed the hall to cheer for the teams.

Head judge Beverly Hon, president of the Cheerleading Association and Register of Malaysia (CHARM), said: “Anselm were more technical, and (their routine) had a higher level of difficulty compared to the other teams.”

Anselm were the defending Southern Regional champions and the only team from Malacca.

Two of the team’s flyers are twin sisters who are also school gymnasts, and according to competition judge Tan Yee Ming, one of the judges of the competition;, it gave the team a slight advantage.

“They were quite lucky to have gymnasts because they have more body awareness, which helps in training,” said Tan.

Anselm captain Ng Shin Ying, 17, said that they were fortunate to have a good teacher adviser who is also a rhythmic gymnastics coach.

“We have been training every day from morning to evening for the past week and Madam Tan was always there to ensure that we were safe,” said Ng, whose team also won the Best Dressed award.

After the competition, all the teams attended a cheerleading clinic organized by CHARM.

During the clinic, Hon pointed outto the teams the mistakes made by the teams they have made that caused them penalties some of the mistakes made during the competition that had resulted in penalties.

“The teams need to understand the score sheet to understand their routine. Penalties cost, and that makescan make a lot of difference,” added Hon.

Team Ignite Co-Ed from SMK Bandar Baru Uda.

Five teams initially registered to compete but the two teams of SMK Bandar Baru Uda had to combine their squads due to multiple injuries suffered by their cheerleaders.

The winning teams walked away with cash prizes of RM1,000, RM1,500 and RM2,000, a Marigold hamper, Silkygirl products, Sugus goodies as well as an all expense paid trip to compete at the national finals next week.

Cheer 2013 is organised by R.AGE and presented by MARIGOLD HL Low Fat Milk. Silkygirl is the main sponsor and Sugus is the co-sponsor. Red FM is the official radio station.