Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — The National Cheerleading Championship (NCC) is gearing up for a bigger and more competitive cheerleading season.
In a press conference on Wednesday (August 5), the NCC boasted about the growth of the sport of Cheerleading in the Philippines ever since the organization’s formation in 2006.
“We’re probably one of the biggest in Asia right now and because of that probably one of the biggest in the world,” said NCC head Carlos Valdez of the organization.
The NCC was established in 2006 and held with only 10 teams participating in its first event. But fast forward to 2014, over 250 teams took part in the competition nationwide.
For teams to advance to the national level of competition, they would first have to impress at the regional level.
A huge leap from their humble beginnings, to say the least.
The NCC’s season has evolved into a year-long affair with regionals, cheerleading clinics, nationals, and international competitions all in its agenda. A season that Valdez says shows how much Filipinos are interested in the sport.
“Foreign teams and other countries were surprised how long our season was,” said Valdez. “It just goes to show how many schools and enthusiasts of cheerleading there are in the Philippines.”
In addition to the Nationals, the NCC is also planning to host a Philippine National Open wherein squads from outside the country are expected to join.
“This is big, I cannot stress it enough,” said Valdez.
Essence of cheerleading
NCC national director Paula Nunag also took the mic to emphasize that the organization aims to ‘to espouse cheerleading, in terms of the essence of it.’
According to Nunag, cheerleading isn’t just about being cute for the camera.
“These cheerleaders are athletes,” she said. “They have to train and they have to really invest their time and effort to ensure their level in terms of skill is at par or even better than their peers.”
The NCC has also sent out teams that have competed and triumphed in international competitions in Asia and the U.S., and Nunag says that it is important for the organization to keep on getting better.
“It is a matter of leveling up and leveling up, making sure that all of these cheerleaders get the right training,” said Nunag. “Our coaches also, make sure that they have the proper training to be able to instill the skills that are needed for these cheerleaders to continue competing and continue being successful in the world stage.”
The NCC will hold its first regional camp and qualifiers in the Southern Luzon region at the Festival Mall, Alabang from September 19 to 20.
