The All-Star Hip Hop team The All-Star Cheerleading and Dance teams of Spirit of Tyler are having another winning season. The teams have worked hard and with 95 national titles achieved, are only five away from their gym goal of 100 national titles before the end of their competitive season.

The teams began their season on the campus of Stephen F. Austin back in December. The Senior Level 5 Coed team, “The Sting,” brought home a first place win in their division, followed by a first place win by the senior team, “Queen Bees,” and a second place win from their junior team, “Honey Bees.”

Next the teams traveled to their first national competition in Ft. Worth. The American National Championships provided the stage for three more national titles.

The Senior Coed Level 5 team once again placed first in their division. The Senior Coed Level 3 team pulled off a first place win, and the junior team brought home a second place win.

The hip hop dance teams competed for the first time in the season. Also successful was the youth hip hop team which won a first place national title and received a partial paid world’s bid. The juniors brought home a third place win, along with the senior team who also brought home a third place win.

While most enjoyed Super Bowl weekend, the Spirit of Tyler cheerleaders were working hard bringing home the gold when they traveled to American Cheer Power’s Southern National competition in San Antonio at the Alamodome.

The Senior Coed Level 5 team brought the national title for the gym to 95 with their first place win. The team also received a prestigious full paid bid to the cheerleading world competition. The Junior and Senior Coed Level 3 teams faced stiff competition, but still came home with third place wins. Both the Senior Coed and Junior Coed teams received partial paid bids to worlds.

The weekend of Feb 26- 28 the teams are on the road again when they travel to Houston for yet another national competition. With their sites set on national titles for all their teams, they are working hard to prepare.

“We have our minds and hearts set on our goal,” said one SOT cheerleader. “We work hard and stay positive. We try to make every practice count. We know what we need to do to win and we want to do whatever it takes to make ourselves, our coach, our parents and friends proud of us.”

The public is invited to watch all the Spirit of Tyler Cheer & Dance teams in action this Sunday, Feb. 21. The teams will perform exhibitions at TJC’s Wagstaff Gym on Sunday from 1- 3 p.m. and again at the Spirit of Tyler Gym from 6-8 p.m. An admission fee of $2 for adults and $1 for students will help support the SOT Booster Club with national entry fees for competitors. Kids 5 and under are free. Concessions will be available.

Spirit of Tyler gym is located at 16629 Old Jacksonville Highway (behind Kilgore National Bank).