From coming last in 2023, the University of Sheffield’s cheerleading team have “end[ed] a spell of bad luck” by placing highly at the nationals in Manchester yesterday. 

This year, the Sheffield Sabrecats Stunt Cheerleading team has been able to turnaround their performance in only five months. 

One of the members of the Gold Squad, Emily Haycock, 21, expressed how tense the competition was.

She said: “Despite the odds being against us with last minute injuries and changes, we went out there and did the best we could.

“Everyone has worked incredibly hard this year. After a not-so-good season last year, we were determined to end a spell of bad luck.”

The UK University Nationals is the biggest cheerleading competition of the year with teams from across the UK taking part. 

Miss Haycock said the team’s adrenaline was running high, as most of their performances were in the evening.

This competition marks the first time since 2020 that the Sabrecats have done group stunts. Most members of the team did not have previous or very little experience of doing group stunts. 

The rigorous training sessions in the lead up to the competition took place twice a week, with the group practising complex routines including stunts, tumbling, and dance. The team is made up of more than 100 male and female cheerleaders. 

The Black Squad placed third, the Gold Squad placed fourth out of 11 teams, and the Silver Squad placed sixth out of 22 teams. All three Group Stunt teams hit zero after making no mistakes in their routines. 

Maddie Homer, 21, who is a part of the Level Two Group Stunt team, had never competed in a cheerleading competition before yesterday, and highlighted the satisfaction in “seeing all the hard work pay off”.

She said: “Honestly the best part was watching all the other teams perform and cheering them on.”

The Sheffield Sabrecats are now perfecting their routines to hopefully win big in the upcoming competitions in both Nottingham and Sheffield.