The Cheer News

[USPRwire, Fri Jun 05 2009] The 2009 season marks the 15th year that the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) and the Universal Dance Association (UDA) have held their National Championships at the Walt Disney World® Resort.

Between them, the Universal Cheerleaders Association and the Universal Dance Association host four premier, large events, bringing a total of 12,000 cheerleading and dance teams to the event venues, including Disney’s Wide World of Sports® Complex and the Indiana Jones Theater at Disney’s Hollywood Studio.

All four National Championships are televised on ESPN and ESPN2, as part of a partnership with Varsity, the parent company of Universal Cheerleading Association and Universal Dance Association. The events include:

The National High School Cheerleading Championship is the single largest gathering of high school cheerleaders in the country. Teams have to qualify at a regional competition for a bid to attend the event, ensuring a high level of completion among this years 400 competing teams.

Two hundred squads from 43 states and 152 colleges and universities attended the 2009 College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championships, now in its 29th year, which showcases the most advanced cheerleaders and dance team members in the country

The National Dance Team Championships hosts 300 dance teams in pom, hip hop, jazz and high kick categories . All teams in attendance, from middle school, junior high and high school dance teams, along with all star dance teams, had to qualify regionally for the privilege of competing at the National Championship.

Three hundred all star cheerleading teams competed at this years National All Star Cheerleading Championship, in its 17th year as an all star-only event.
“We know that hosting our events at a premier location such as the Walt Disney World® Resorts is a big draw for the teams that attend them,” says Melanie Berry, Vice President of Special Events for Varsity, the parent company of UCA and UDA. “The access to the Walt Disney World theme parks plays a strong part in bringing cheerleaders and their families back each year.”

ABOUT VARSITY
Varsity is the source for all things related to cheerleading and dance team. With a rich heritage and traditions dating back to 1948, Varsity is an innovative global leader comprised of the leading spirit industry brands and organizations including its educational camps, clinics, competitions and uniforms to teams around the world. Varsity is based in Memphis, Tenn. and employs more than 3,000 employees nationwide. For more information about Varsity, please visit http://www.varsity.com.

ABOUT WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT:
Walt Disney World Resort is a contiguous 40-square-mile, world-class entertainment and recreation center featuring four theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’’s Animal Kingdom); two water adventure parks (Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon); 33 resort hotels (23 owned and operated by Walt Disney World, includes six Disney Vacation Club resort properties); 81 holes of golf on five courses; two full-service spas; Disney’’s Wedding Pavilion; Disney’’s Wide World of Sports Complex; and Downtown Disney, an entertainment-shopping-dining complex encompassing the Marketplace, Pleasure Island and West Side. Walt Disney World Resort is also included in vacation packages of Disney Cruise Line. For information about the Walt Disney World® Resorts and Parks, visit http://www.disneyworld.com.

ABOUT DISNEY”S WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS® COMPLEX
A 220-acre complex designed to accommodate professional-caliber training and competition, festival and tournament events and vacation-fitness activities in more than 30 individual and team sports. The complex includes a 7,500-seat baseball stadium and 5,500-seat fieldhouse. Annual events include Atlanta Braves spring training.For information about the Walt Disney World® Resorts and Parks, visit http://www.disneyworld.com.