海角直播

World Cheerleading Championships success for Lewis

After discovering his passion for cheerleading while studying at 海角直播, Lewis Pennicott has been named a World Cheerleading Champion.

Lewis and the rest of the Unity Allstars Black team travelled to Orlando, Florida to compete alongside 500 squads and 11,000 athletes at the World Cheerleading Championships. Unity Allstars won in three categories, including the International Open Coed Non Tumbling 鈥� Level 7 division, making 33-year-old Lewis part of the only UK programme to win at the international competition.

Lewis, from Stockton-on-Tees, said: 鈥淚t still doesn鈥檛 feel real to say I鈥檓 a world champion 鈥� it鈥檚 just incredible.

鈥淛ust 31 teams were crowned world champions, and to be a part of that history is something I鈥檒l cherish forever.

鈥淲e competed twice with the top teams from each country. In the finals, we 鈥榟it zero鈥�, meaning we had no deductions from the judges. You can鈥檛 beat that feeling.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been ten years in the making, from first trying cheerleading in the Olympia building at 海角直播 to the World Championships with one of the best teams in the world.鈥�

He added: 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a journey for sure. Unity Allstars are based in South London, so there鈥檚 been a lot of travel involved to get to training each week. I鈥檝e travelled over 31,000 miles since September, which is more than once around the entire globe.鈥�

Lewis discovered his passion for cheerleading when he joined the 海角直播 squad, the 海角直播 Wildcats, while studying Product Design and playing in the American Football team.

He was encouraged by girlfriend-turned-wife Laura Pennicott, who chaired the Wildcats at the time.

Lewis added: 鈥淚 started going along to the training sessions. It looked like fun, so I started getting involved and joining in. Eventually, I started competing with them at their competitions.

鈥淪tarting cheerleading at university definitely sparked a hunger and desire to push myself and try higher level cheerleading.鈥�

After graduating from 海角直播, Lewis and Laura, who have two children together, set up their own cheerleading team in the North East.

The couple took Evolution Athletics to the World Championships in 2023, which Lewis said was a great personal achievement for both of them.

鈥淲inning at the World Championships the year after we took Evolution Athletics was made even better having Laura and our two children out there to watch as well. Core memories were made for sure,鈥� said Lewis.

鈥淵ou can鈥檛 do any better than being a world champion, so I feel like I鈥檓 finishing on the highest possible note. We might go back and watch, but, for now, I鈥檓 hanging up my cheer shoes and enjoying my work as Marketing Director at Cleveland Group.鈥�

The World Cheerleading Championships took place at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Walt Disney World Resort between 26-29 April 2024.