Photo submitted to Times Observer ‘The One’ champion Extreme Athletix hip hop teams includes, from left, in front, Paiden Johnson, Ava Fitzgerald, Kendyll Tome, and Avri Hornburg; middle, Paisley Lawson; and, back row, Peyton Kent, Madi Connelly, Cali Chapman, Avie Russell, Jacqueline Allen, and Lilli Spinnato.

The Extreme Athletix All-Star Cheer and Dance teams have not only made it through all the COVID restrictions the past two years, they are thriving.

The local program repeated as national champions April 30-May 1 at The One Cheer and Dance Finals in Orlando, Fla.

A week later, “and they won again” in Virginia Beach, Va., according to Michelle Johnson.

Extreme Athletix is coached by Shawna Fitzgerald (director), Nicole Chapman, Crystal Russell (choreographer of hip hop routine), Johnson, and Kassandra Wilson.

“This year, we had two teams from the Extreme Athletix program make it to a higher national level of competition,” said Johnson. “Our Junior Hip Hop Team EA Crew and our Junior Level 3 All-Star Cheer team. All-Star Cheer and Dance are quite different from scholastic programs. There isn’t any actual ‘cheering’ that occurs. One should really watch videos of All-Star Cheer to get a full understanding.”

Watch the EA Crew at ‘The One’ finals here:

https://fb.watch/d1ed2TO6hn/

Watch the Junior Level 3 team here:

https://fb.watch/d1ekxPgjzI/

“The International Olympic Committee voted in favor of granting full recognition to the International Cheer Union and cheerleading,” added Johnson. “Cheerleading is going to be the newest Olympic sport, taking the stage in the 2024 Olympic Games.”

Extreme Athletix had 91 girls — ages 3-18 — this past season from Warren County and a few from New York.

“We are done physically competing for the season, but EA Crews’ performance via video from Florida will be entered into The Ones’ National Grand Championship for an overall winner. This will be announced June 4th,” said Johnson. “With the right group of athletes and the coaching behind it, Extreme Athletix EA Crew has been successful and accomplished more than imagined when the program itself initially started.”

The EA Crew Junior Hip Hop Team members include Jacqueline Allen, Cali Chapman, Madison Connolly, Ava Fitzgerald, Avri Hornburg, Paiden Johnson, Peyton Kent, Paisley Lawson, Avie Russell, Lilli Spinnato, and Kendyll Tome.

The Legacy Junior Level 3 All-Star Cheer members include Syrena Antonuccio, Cali Chapman, Madison Connolly, Lexi Davis, Ava Fitzgerald, Lexi Gulnac, Avri Hornburg, Paiden Johnson, Paisley Lawson, Haley McNett, Haley Mueller, Avie Russell, Molly Suppa, Kendyll Tome, and Kendra Tudor.

Both teams are comprised of girls from each attendance area in the district.

“The girls had to earn a bid from an accredited All-Star Cheer and Dance company to attend,” said Johnson. “Both teams earned bids to ‘The One’ National Competition in Orlando, Florida, and Hip Hop earned bids to the Shout, Cheer and Dance Championship in Virginia Beach, Virginia. A bid is like qualifying or making it to the next level of competition. The hip hop team earned three bids from two different companies and cheer earned one bid.

“Legacy performed Saturday and Sunday at ‘The One’ against 15 teams and EA Crew performed both days at both competitions in the Junior Hip Hop Division against five other teams at ‘The One’ and two in Virginia Beach,” explained Johnson. “The scoring is based on performance, technique, uniformity, creativity, difficulty, timing, use of the floor, etc.

“In Florida, EA Crew placed first in the Junior Hip Hop Division with an overall score 28.5 points higher than the second-place team, and fourth overall out of 33 other dance teams from all age divisions and styles of dance,” she said. “EA Crew was also back-to-back champions at ‘The One’ championship. In Virginia Beach, they won their division, earned the Best Dance Award, and were chosen as the overall Dance Grand Champions.”

The reigning champs stood out from the other teams they performed against due to their dance theme — Super Mario.

“Most other hip hop teams have similar routines and don’t necessary have anything that sets them apart from everyone else,” said Johnson. “Last year, we had an iconic Janet Jackson-themed routine to Rhythm Nation, and this year, the Mario theme was a fan favorite. Everywhere went we heard, ‘It’s Mario; I love Mario.’ The girls had to pause at various times for photos with individual fans and other teams.”

It was a highlight among many highlights the girls won’t soon forget.

“Receiving a send off by Warren (police) officers, volunteer firemen, family, and friends from the YMCA, and with an escort through town on the way to Florida got the girls pumped and ready to prove themselves,” said Johnson. “When not competing, the girls had a fun time bonding in the team house and spending time together at the community club house, Disney Springs, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Magic Kingdom. When not on the mat in Virginia, the girls once again had fun bonding but this time while on the beach and seeing area attractions.”

Well-earned rewards for a group of girls with dedication, drive, and the love of performing for a crowd,” said Johnson. “Winning this championship means the world to a small program from a small town in PA. ‘The One’ hosts five national competitions in the US — Orlando, Virginia Beach, Sandusky, New Orleans, and Vegas. Division champions are crowed at each location. The performance of each division’s winner is then put into essentially a virtual competition and an overall national winner is crowned. Last year, EA Crew won both. The team is once again hoping for a repeat double victory… Receiving both titles from Florida and Virginia is huge for this small town program. Many of the teams we go against come from big gyms who practice multiple days a week. Our team practices once a week.”

Extreme Athletix added hip hop teams into its program offerings in 2016 after seeing a hip hop team perform at a large competition.

“Our girls said, ‘We want to do that,” so the coaches made it happen,” said Johnson.

“Extreme Athletix is a program that allows girls (and boys) ages 3-18 to develop more than all-star cheer and/or dance skills. This program helps to foster teamwork, work ethic, dedication, commitment, leadership, and more. We are always looking for student-athletes who are looking for something new to try or for an outlet to build upon their dance, tumbling, jump, and stunt skills.”