A CHEERLEADING troupe has been crowned national champions for the second year running.

Kearsley Academy’s troupe showed they had all the right moves as they impressed the judges in this year’s UK Cheerleading Association’s National Dance Championship.

This year the girls, who also won last year at their first attempt, walked away with the National School Champions title in the Street Cheer and Pom Dance categories.

Sarah Johnson, the dance and enrichment co-ordinator who coaches the team, said: “To win it the first time so soon after the cheerleading team had just been formed was brilliant, but to do it again this year was a real achievement especially as they had moved into a harder category.”

The team of 12 girls were competing against schools across the UK at the Manchester Velodrome.

They practice twice a week in their own time, but in the run up to the competition they were rehearsing their moves every day and sometimes all day.

Mrs Johnson said : “As coach to the team, I know how hard all these girls work in school on perfecting their technique.

“Not only have they won every competition they have been entered for so far but they have also been invited to perform at recent events such as Bolton Dance Festival and danced in the town-centre for the Olympic flame procession.”

She says it is the girls’ energy and the fast-paced dance routines which impressed the judges.

Mrs Johnson said: “As part of Kearsley Academy’s leadership specialist programme, the team have already passed their level one cheer coach certificate, which will move them up the ladder to becoming cheerleading teachers themselves.”

n Main picture, Emma Wilkinson jumps for joy. Above, from left, Megan Simms aged 13, Chloe Greenwood aged 13, Ella Edwards aged 13, Courtney Dixon aged 14, Phillipa Coucill aged 15, Bethany McCraken aged 13, Emma Wilkinson aged 14 and Nicky Ksiginaite aged 14