Dedication Behind the Dream
Four cheerleaders have described the immense dedication involving "blood, sweat and tears" that has fueled their ambition to compete at this year's Allstar World Championships in Orlando, Florida.
Every Sunday, Orla McConnell, Karen Breslin, Clodagh McGonagle, and Megan Moore undertake an eight-hour round trip journey to Dublin, dedicating a few hours on the mat to perfect their cheerleading routine.
The group is part of Strikeforce Cheer, a Dublin-based cheerleading team preparing to participate in one of the sport's most prestigious international competitions.
McConnell shared the challenges of balancing her life as a mother to a one-year-old, working full-time, and managing a demanding cheer schedule, emphasizing that the effort will be worthwhile when their team performs.
"We all wake up at about six in the morning," McConnell, 24, from Londonderry, told BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme.
"Karen and Clodagh come from Inishowen [in County Donegal] and collect me in Derry.
Then we go to Strabane to meet Megan and from there we head down to Dublin."
The training session lasts approximately three hours before they embark on the return journey home.
This routine is one they have consistently maintained week after week, driven by a passion that began at an early age.
"It's a lot," McConnell admitted, "but we've all put in so much hard work that we can't stop now."
As a stunt group within their team, the four also train together during the week, dedicating additional hours at a gym in Derry alongside another cheer group called Titans Cheer to refine lifts, timing, and trust.
Complexity and Risk in Allstar Cheerleading
"In all-star cheerleading, routines can last just two minutes but are packed with complex stunts, tumbling and choreography,"McConnell explained.
McGonagle serves as the "flyer," the team member who is lifted and thrown into the air by her teammates.
"We quite literally have her life in our hands,"McConnell said.
"It takes a lot of drilling to get it right, and because we are level four there is somewhat an element of danger, but when it all comes together, it's something really special."
This will not be the first instance of Derry representation at the competition.
In 2025, the GALAXY All Stars cheerleading club from Derry took nearly 40 members to Florida after qualifying two teams for the event in Orlando.
What is the Allstar World Championship?
The Allstar World Championship 2026 cheerleading and dance competition is scheduled to take place over four days, from 16 to 19 April.
Teams from across the globe will compete in various categories and age groups, ranging from Level 1 to Level 7, at the 2026 event.
The championship features more than 1,000 teams and has historically included participants from countries such as the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Competitions span multiple days, divisions, and skill levels in both cheer and dance.
Teams earn the opportunity to compete either by qualifying at regional or open events or by securing bids or credits through performances in prior competitions hosted by the Open Championship Series.
Balancing Commitments and Overcoming Challenges
McConnell and Breslin both work full-time and are mothers to young children, while McGonagle and Moore balance their cheer training alongside university studies.
Managing work, education, family life, and their sport has required significant sacrifice and substantial support from family and friends, McConnell noted.
"Thankfully to our families, and our partners, we've been able to keep going,"she said.
"There were so many times I came home crying, wanting to quit.
Injuries, knock-backs, not making teams, but all those moments have made reaching this stage even more meaningful.
When I think about stepping onto that floor in Orlando, I just think of all the blood, sweat and tears it's taken to get there...I just can't believe it's actually happening."
