Irish group wins cheerleading world title in US
The Strike Force All Star Cheerleading programme, based in Finglas West and founded in 2008, has made history by winning a world championship title at the prestigious All Star World Championships in Orlando, Florida.
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The group of 17 girls won the senior title on Friday night before a large crowd. Far removed from the traditional image of sideline cheerleading, competitive cheer is a high-energy sport combining fast-paced gymnastics, acrobatics, and intricate choreography.
Teams compete nationally and internationally, judged on athleticism, skill, technique, and performance quality.
Strike Force Cheer is home to over 100 athletes, aged four to 30, with a strong female representation and a growing number of male members. From humble beginnings in local community centres, the club now trains out of its current facility in New Cross College, Finglas West, Dublin 11.
Like many clubs, Strike Force was hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, facing significant drops in participation as cheerleading did not fall under permitted sports during restrictions. Despite these challenges, club founder and Finglas native Shannon O'Reilly rebuilt the programme from the ground up, turning it into Ireland's most successful all-star cheerleading team.
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Ms O'Reilly, alongside her dedicated coaching team, led 38 athletes across two teams to compete at the All-Star World Championships, held from April 15th to 18th. Both teams qualified through national championship victories over the past year.
The junior team, Strike Force Deja Blue, returned to the world stage after a third-place finish in 2024, this time climbing even higher to secure the silver medal in their division.
Joining them for the first time was the senior team, Strike Force Slate, composed of athletes aged 18 to 30, many of whom have been with the club since its early days. Slate entered the finals as the top-seeded team, having earned the highest score in their division.
An Irish cheerleading team has clinched the world championship title in the US.
Last Friday, they delivered a stunning final performance, defeating the reigning US champions and earning the title of world champions.
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This victory marks a historic moment for Irish cheerleading - Strike Force Slate is the first Irish team ever to win a world championship in the sport, shining an international spotlight on Finglas and the Irish cheerleading community.
Original founder Hayden
McGurk
speaking from his home on Sunday said he was 'thrilled for everyone involved.
Mr
McGurk
added: 'I knew both teams were good. It's great that both teams got the recognition they deserved. All of this started from humble beginnings. This is not a recognised sport in Ireland according to Sport Ireland guidelines. But this sport is growing as it has so many new members across the country.
'The sport is a passion for all of those involved. This is the first year I have missed the championships but I'm so delighted for everyone.'
Competitive cheerleading is governed globally by the International Cheer Union (ICU), headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee.
Recognised as an official sport by the International Olympic Committee in 2020, cheerleading could potentially appear in future Olympic Games.
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