Local Cheerleading Teams Finish In The Top 10 At National Competition

Staff Reports

A local all-star competitive cheerleading squad took four teams to the National Cheerleader Associations Competition in Dallas on February 28.

The Express Stingers All-Star Competitive Cheerleaders of VIM Gym in San Marcos come from all over the Hill Country including Wimberley, Kyle, New Braunfels and Lockhart.

In addition to being the most prestigious in the industry, NCA All-Star Nationals is the largest All-Star Cheerleading National Championship in the country, hosting over 25,000 participants and 38,000 spectators each year.

Express Stingers, Senior Prep 2.2 Team “Teal Buzz”, won 1st place in their division.

This title is a first for VIM Gym, making it a historical win for this gym.

Other Express Stingers teams took home 4th, 5th and 8th in their Junior level 3 division, Senior Co-Ed 4 division, and youth level 1 division respectively.

The National Cheerleaders Association was founded in 1948 by Lawrence “Herkie” Herkimer; it was the first cheerleading company.

Locals Naomi Mahamuth and Nick Valera opened VIM Gym in July 2015. The athletes enrolled in their program range from ages 5 to 19 and train for competitive cheerleading, which requires synchronized jumping, stunts, tumble and choreographed movements.

“We are more than proud of the Top 10 finishes and a win for this program this weekend,” Mahamuth said.