More than a week after winning the Cheerleading Worlds in the USA, the euphoria is still high among the successful Evolution of Dance (EOD) team.
The Pink Panthers, representing the EOD Allstars from Maitland, made history with a fantastic score of 140.7 to secure the under-18 five division title on the global stage in Orlando, Florida.
Competing under the United States All Star Federation and the International All Stars Federation, the Cheerleading Worlds is only one of two universal tournaments hosted each year.
Teams from everywhere are invited to showcase the best of their routines, with only top-ranked squads qualifying to attend.
Experienced leader Emily Hobson, who’s been with the Pink Panthers for nine years, described the win as a “surreal experience”.
“I honestly have never felt anything like it as it was the most amazing, fulfilling moment of my life,” she said.
The victory holds a special meaning for the Pink Panthers, too, many of whom were part of the squad that narrowly missed the top podium two years ago, finishing second by just half a point.
“For this team, it was all about redemption,” Hobson said.
“We’ve been working for a year-and-a-half with this goal in mind.
“The long hours, the mental preparation… it all came together and this win was everything to us.”
The Pink Panthers trained relentlessly in the lead-up to the “worlds” with their bond central to their success.
“It’s a sisterhood like no other,” Hobson told the Newcastle Weekly.
“You’re working, living and growing with your 21 sisters.
“You can’t create that kind of bond any other way.”
The team trained three-to-four times a week, with sessions lasting up to four hours.
In the final month before competition, they finetuned their skills almost daily.
“When we finally stepped onto the floor, it felt like we were living something we had already rehearsed in our minds,” Hobson said
Their victory has now sparked excitement across the country and it proves, that with determination and teamwork, dreams can come true.
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