Junior Rider Cheer Camp returns

Anthony Lanier II joined the Junior Rider cheer camp as a special guest. (Hallee Mandryk/CTV News)

Spirits were high at Mosaic Stadium on Sunday, as the annual Junior Rider Cheer Camp got underway.

“Its Junior Cheer practice day. We have 300 kids out on the field and this is the second year we’ve had such a large group of participants,” Head Coach Courtney Odelein-Akakpo.

The day is a learning experience for aspiring cheerleaders aged 5-16, with a final performance at the upcoming Rider game against the Edmonton Elks.

“They are learning a five minute routine that they’ll perform on Saturday at the Rider Halftime and I have to say, it’s my favourite halftime show of the season” Odelein-Akakpo explained.

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Many of the junior cheerleaders make a point of attending the camp annually, like 11 year-old Gabriella Buchko, who explained how the members of the Rider Cheer Team keep her coming back.

“A lot of other people inspired me to do it and throughout the last few years,” Buchko said. “There has been Jasmine the coach, she’s got a baton group on the centre yard line so we get to do some of the dance but also we get to do some baton to make it extra special and enjoyable for the crowd.”

According to coach Odelein-Akakpo, many current members of the cheer team took park in these camps before eventually joining the team – a big goal for Buchko.

“I really hope that and I know there’s a few other people that would like to too around my age,” she said.

“So that would be awesome if we could create a little squad.”