UPEI cheerleading team ‘on the rise’

By: Kai Vere

The UPEI Cheerleading team practices their routine at the North Shore Community Centre in York. The routine will be performed at upcoming CheerExpo national championships in Halifax, where they broke provincial records last year with their second place win. (Kai Vere)

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When Adora Bustard first started coaching the UPEI cheerleading team, she wanted to make a positive impact in her new role.

After moving to P.E.I. from New Brunswick, where cheerleading is a “booming” sport, she wanted to push her team to use the talent they had.

“I want it to be something,” she thought.

After training all year, she and her team went to the national championships where they won second place, breaking the provincial record for cheerleading on P.E.I.

“Oh my gosh, it’s actually paying off,” Bustard thought.

“We can win if we actually try.”

Now in her second year coaching the UPEI team, Bustard can’t help but look forward to next year’s competition.

“Every year, I get more and more excited for the next,” she said.

“We’re just going to get better and better and better.”

Although P.E.I. is a small province, Bustard believes their team will be a force to be reckoned with in future competitions.

“We’re on the rise,” said Bustard.

“Sometimes, we might be a bit of an underdog team, but that just adds to the fight. We want to win, we want to prove ourselves.”

The team is currently working on their routine for the CheerExpo national championships in Halifax on March 30.

They will be practicing more and more as it gets closer to nationals, Bustard said.

“There’s more pressure on us now than ever, because every practice counts when it comes to the last few weeks.”

Cheerleader Madyson Kane MacPhail agrees the pressure is on, especially after their second place win last year, she said.

“We have eyes watching us now. But I think that this support is really going to drive us to actually like try harder. I think it’s a good pressure that we have from UPEI and the community.”

The team is doing well with their routine, despite a few bumps in the road with one teammate unable to perform, MacPhail said.

“All the girls, we’re all pushing through and staying positive,” she said.

“I’m really excited, I think we’re going to prove ourselves, and show how hard we’re working. I think it’s going to go really well.”

Elizabeth Riviere, who has been on the team since September, said she is both nervous and excited for upcoming competitions.

“I feel pretty confident that we can do pretty well. We’re just there to have fun and just do what we know we can do already.”

Looking ahead to tryouts in September, Riviere said all are welcome.

“A lot of people on the team don’t have any experience, so you just have to have a lot of passion, and a willingness to learn because we do a lot of crazy things.”

Cheer is difficult because it’s a dangerous sport, but with the right candidate that won’t matter, said MacPhail.

“You have to be dedicated, hardworking and pushing through, and honestly just like an all around team player too. Just take things as they come.”