Latest news with #cheerleading
The Sun
11 hours ago
- Health
- The Sun
My coach sexually abused me at 13, I thought our special sessions were to help me but they were for her twisted desires
WHEN Nia Durant was taking under the wing of her cheerleading coach she had never felt more special. Desperate to succeed in the squad Nia, now 27, was more than happy to help coach the younger students by Rosana Awan. 7 7 7 But a nightmare was just beginning – as she became easy pickings for a 'predatory' teacher who preyed on the talented young sportswoman. Nia went on to endure years of sexual abuse at the hands of her coach and feared she would get in trouble if she told anyone about the "favouritism" she was accused of receiving. According to a report from The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) out of 3,939 participants 78 people reported experiencing sexual abuse in a sports context and of those - 91% reported being sexually abused by a sports coach or volunteer. Now Nia has bravely waived her right to anonymity to "shine a light" on this abuse in sport - especially when it's "female-on-female" which she feels is less reported. Nia, 27, from Leicester, East Midlands, says: "I'd always loved sports and gymnastics - I was so excited to join the team. "I signed up to the local cheerleading group aged 13 in 2010. "A few weeks into practice my coach Awan asked me if I wanted to come early and stay late to plan lessons with her, offering me the chance to help the younger students. "I was so happy to be picked - and it all felt very innocent at first. "She even told my parents about it. "Looking back, that was her gateway into getting to know me." Awan began offering Nia lifts home after practice - which Nia attended three or four times a week. While they started out innocently with Awan pulling over to discuss practice with Nia, they soon took a sinister turn. Nia explains: "She started touching me over my clothes. "I was very naïve and didn't know about any of that stuff. "I was really confused about it to start with, but at the same time, she kept reassuring me it was all 'normal'." This continued for a couple of months until it "progressed" and Awan began to sexually abuse her under her clothes, too. The abuse continued when the cheerleading team travelled for competitions and Awan would book them a hotel room together. Nia says: "She would give the hotel a fake name for me, so no one knew I was staying with her, and then we would share a bed. 7 7 "I kept quiet about it because she told me the others would be 'jealous' of me. "I was getting favouritism and it made me feel special. "She also made it out like I would be the one who would get in trouble if anyone found out." Over the next few years, Nia became increasingly isolated from friends and family. She struggled with her mental health and didn't know who to turn to about the abuse. "Because I coached for her, I didn't want to jeopardise my job, either," she says. "I made a new friend at cheerleading and coach wasn't happy about it. "I was searching for reasons why I wouldn't be allowed to have friends and I didn't understand. "I started to realise you don't hide your relationships and this is wrong." In 2013, Nia's parents grew concerned and contacted police to report Awan, after finding a diary Nia had written about the abuse. However, Nia was "too scared" to tell the truth, and insisted "nothing happened", and the case wasn't pursued. According the Leicestershire Police, Awan did admit to "kissing" Nia, and was given a "conditional caution". In 2017, Nia got into De Montfort University in her hometown, Leicester, and began studying for an education degree. While learning about safeguarding, she says the pieces "fell into place" and she understood that she had been abused. In 2018, Nia told the police she wanted to reopen the original report made in 2013, and she spoke with an officer April 2019. Awan was arrested a month later, and charged in February 2020 with five counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. Nia says: "I felt like it wasn't taken seriously to begin with due to the female on female nature. "One officer even suggested that her actions were 'motherly' and 'being a good coach', rather than abuse. "But I can't fault the female officer who helped me. "She saw the severity of it and it was the first time I finally felt heard and listened to." Awan pleaded not guilty to all charges. The case eventually went to Leicester Crown Court in October 2024 where she was found guilty of four counts of sexual abuse with a child and one count of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. She was found not guilty on one count of sexual activity with a child. She was sentenced at the same court to 10 years in prison in December 2024, and also made the subject of a 10-year restraining order and a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order. She will be a registered sex offender for life. Nia adds: "I was really thankful for the guilty verdict. "It confirmed everything - it wasn't all in my head. "I read out an impact statement and didn't use a screen - I wanted her to see me. "I got the final say. "The sentencing was a big win and I felt validated. "But it's now taking its toll and I still feel a lot of guilt - even though I shouldn't. "I do think there's not enough support for victims because the court process is awful. "It's scary to put myself out there, but I hope this can help just one other person feel heard." When approached for a comment, a spokesperson for Leicestershire Constabulary said: "In 2013, the complainant's parents made a report of sexual abuse to the police on her behalf. "When an investigation began, the complainant told police nothing had happened between herself and Awan. "It was later established that the complainant told police nothing had happened as she had been put under pressure by Awan. "Awan did admit kissing the complainant and was issued with a conditional caution. "In August 2018, the complainant told police she wanted the report that was made in 2013 to be reopened. "The force understands the victim was frustrated by the fact the case was adjourned on several occasions due to lack of court space. "However, both the officer in the case and her supervisor maintained a positive relationship with the victim in the case and have been thanked by her for their efforts in ensuring Awan was convicted of her crimes." When asked about the terms Nia claimed were used to describe Awan's actions, including "motherly" and "being a good coach", a spokesperson for Leicestershire Police said: "The force does not have any record of the officer using those terms to describe Awan's behaviour." 7
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
A pair of Hawaii born Cheerleaders win World Championship
Hawaii's Cayla Cabanban and Anuhea Keene competed for USA Cheerleading in the ICU World Championships in April. The Duo traveled to Orlando, Florida and helped lead Team USA to a 1st place finish to secure the gold. 'This is everything I've I've trained for, I dreamed of. I like, prayed for. And so I just took it moment, moment by moment, step by step, and just lived in the moment and tried not to get carried away with how I was feeling at the time,' said Cabanban. Keene, a Moanalua High School Alum was in her 5th stint with Team USA and winning her 5th ICU Premiere Co-Ed Championship. While Cabanban, a Sacred Hearts alum and former Rainbow Wahine, was in her 1st year with USA Cheer at this competition. 'It was it was surreal. It was everything I ever dreamed of since I was a little kid and first ever started cheerleading,' said Cabanban. For these two to earn a spot on the roster, they had to go through tryouts in October of 2024, and then once selected the squad only had a few months to prepare together before competition in April of 2025. 'There's only two girls on the team that that are on the US national team from Hawaii. So like, it's just very grateful to know that we in Hawaii still have talent and we can compete at this level just like everybody else, no matter how small the island is,' said Cabanban. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Cheer coaches accused of putting a team member in hospital after grueling workout - and its not the first time its happened at the school
The family of a North Texas high school cheerleader is suing three of the school's former coaches after their extreme workouts allegedly landed the girl in hospital. According to the lawsuit, while employed by Rockwall Heath High School, the defendants would force the students to do strenuous exercises — like 50 burpees with pushups in five minutes — as a form of punishment. Michael Sawicki, the attorney representing the cheerleader, told NBC DFW that his client was already feeling ill and even had a doctor's note saying she was sick, but social pressures compelled her to try to push through the workout. A week later she was in the hospital suffering from rhabdomyolysis, according to the lawsuit. Rhabdomyolysis is a condition in which the skeletal muscle tissue breaks down and releases its contents into the bloodstream, and it can be caused by overuse of the muscles. When the skeletal muscle material enters the bloodstream, it can potentially lead to kidney failure. 'There was pressure by the teachers that if you don't perform you don't get to go, you don't get to participate in activities. You don't get to be on the squad, and for young kids that really want to be on a team, that's a powerful motivation to work through the pain,' Sawicki said. 'And that's exactly what happened to the boys in the football case.' It's not the first time the school has been linked to a case of rhabdomyolysis among its student athletes, either. In 2023, several football players from the high school were hospitalized and reportedly diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis after being forced to do similarly grueling exercises, Sawicki, who represented a handful of players in lawsuits, said. 'This is Rockwall Heath High School. The exact same high school where the 20+ boys that we know of were hospitalized or required treatment after a football workout,' Sawicki said. 'If I had gotten this call about another school in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, yeah maybe I could understand. This is the same exact school.' One of the findings in that case was the need for better education for the teachers about the potential risks associated with extreme physical activity. Sawicki said that "in the football investigation, there were discussions about how [rhabdomyolysis] training needed to be a part of it." According to the cheerleader's lawsuit, a one of the coaches allegedly admitted that she had "no rhabdomyolysis training," and said that in hindsight "I would not assign [burpees] again." All three of the coaches named in the lawsuit have resigned their positions on the cheer team. A Rockwall Independent School District investigation found that the "three teachers' actions violated at least five different district policies," according to the report. The investigation determined that the cheer coaches "did not follow the doctor's orders" in its handling of the sick cheerleader, and noted that "there is a lack of knowledge and training by the coaches regarding rhabdomyolysis." Initially the girl's parents just wanted the school to pay for her medical bills, but the Sawicki claims the school "dragged out" the appeals process for months and then determined that "by law, please know that the district is unable to provide compensation because such compensation would be a prohibited gift of public funds." After that, the parents decided to sue. The Independent has requested comment from Rockwall ISD.
The Independent
a day ago
- Health
- The Independent
Cheer coaches accused of putting a team member in hospital after grueling workout - and its not the first time its happened at the school
The family of a North Texas high school cheerleader is suing three of the school's former coaches after their extreme workouts allegedly landed the girl in hospital. According to the lawsuit, while employed by Rockwall Heath High School, the defendants would force the students to do strenuous exercises — like 50 burpees with pushups in five minutes — as a form of punishment. Michael Sawicki, the attorney representing the cheerleader, told NBC DFW that his client was already feeling ill and even had a doctor's note saying she was sick, but social pressures compelled her to try to push through the workout. A week later she was in the hospital suffering from rhabdomyolysis, according to the lawsuit. Rhabdomyolysis is a condition in which the skeletal muscle tissue breaks down and releases its contents into the bloodstream, and it can be caused by overuse of the muscles. When the skeletal muscle material enters the bloodstream, it can potentially lead to kidney failure. 'There was pressure by the teachers that if you don't perform you don't get to go, you don't get to participate in activities. You don't get to be on the squad, and for young kids that really want to be on a team, that's a powerful motivation to work through the pain,' Sawicki said. 'And that's exactly what happened to the boys in the football case.' It's not the first time the school has been linked to a case of rhabdomyolysis among its student athletes, either. In 2023, several football players from the high school were hospitalized and reportedly diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis after being forced to do similarly grueling exercises, Sawicki, who represented a handful of players in lawsuits, said. 'This is Rockwall Heath High School. The exact same high school where the 20+ boys that we know of were hospitalized or required treatment after a football workout,' Sawicki said. 'If I had gotten this call about another school in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, yeah maybe I could understand. This is the same exact school.' One of the findings in that case was the need for better education for the teachers about the potential risks associated with extreme physical activity. Sawicki said that "in the football investigation, there were discussions about how [rhabdomyolysis] training needed to be a part of it." According to the cheerleader's lawsuit, a one of the coaches allegedly admitted that she had "no rhabdomyolysis training," and said that in hindsight "I would not assign [burpees] again." All three of the coaches named in the lawsuit have resigned their positions on the cheer team. A Rockwall Independent School District investigation found that the "three teachers' actions violated at least five different district policies," according to the report. The investigation determined that the cheer coaches "did not follow the doctor's orders" in its handling of the sick cheerleader, and noted that "there is a lack of knowledge and training by the coaches regarding rhabdomyolysis." Initially the girl's parents just wanted the school to pay for her medical bills, but the Sawicki claims the school "dragged out" the appeals process for months and then determined that "by law, please know that the district is unable to provide compensation because such compensation would be a prohibited gift of public funds." After that, the parents decided to sue.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Nfinity Revolutionizes Cheerleading with Advanced Cheer Gear for Enhanced Performance and Safety
ATLANTA, GA / / May 31, 2025 / Nfinity Athletic, a top manufacturer of women's cheerleading gear, has the ultimate line of cheer gear, including cheerleading shoes, backpacks, and uniforms made from high-tech materials and engineered for athletes. The collection focuses on performance, durability, and protection, which cater to the dynamic demands of cheerleaders at every skill level. Game-Changing Cheerleading Shoes: Merging Technology with Performance At the center of all Nfinity's cheerleading gear are the shoes, with cheer shoes such as the Nfinity Vengeance, which feature light, open mesh uppers and strategically placed rubber pads for improved grip. Also, the Nfinity Beast Mid-Top offers greater stability to reduce the possibility of injury while performing stunts and tumbling passes. Stylish and Functional Cheer Backpacks: Carrying Gear with Confidence Nfinity's cheer backpack collection includes the stylish sparkle backpacks, which come with a sparkling exterior, padded straps, and several compartments that enable athletes to organize and transport their equipment in style and comfort conveniently. The uniform is the centerpiece of cheerleading clothing. Nfinity's signature cheer uniforms, known for their custom designs, have four-way stretch compression fabrics and moisture-management technology in their edge fabric. Outside of these, Nfinity continues to focus its efforts on developing athletes through events and camps such as Nfinity's College Combine and Big Skills Camp. Also, Nfinity puts on elite competitions such as America's Cheerleading Cup, Champions League, and many more. "Our mission is to empower cheerleaders through innovation and community." -Tate Chalk, founder and owner of Nfinity "Every Cheer gear and program is crafted to help athletes perform confidently, safely, and at their highest potential." With a presence in over 15 countries, Nfinity fosters a global network of athletes, emphasizing inclusivity and excellence. Recent initiatives include partnerships with youth leagues and advocacy for injury prevention research. About Nfinity Athletic Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Atlanta, GA, Nfinity specializes in optimized cheerleading footwear and apparel for female athletes. The company combines technical expertise with athlete feedback to create cheerleading gear that reduces injury risks while enhancing performance. Media Contact Company: Nfinity Athletic, LLCAddress: 1440 Dutch Valley Place NE, Suite 2001Atlanta, GA 30324, USAEmail: info@ SOURCE: Nfinity Athletic, LLC View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
