This past weekend, local cheerleaders from Swift Current's Western Athletics Club competed at the Warman Cheer Classic.

The competition ran from March 8 - 10 and as Sask.'s largest cheerleading and dance competition, it moves winning teams to the Provincial Championships. 

A whopping number of over 4,000 athletes from across the country attended the coveted event, as it can take them a step closer to the Canadian Finals and towards the World Championships.

Western Athletics had a talented and diverse lineup of athletes ranging all the way from U6 - to U16 at varying skill levels.

Cass Meshke, owner of Western Athletics, couldn't have been more proud of the girls and their accomplishments. 

Three of their teams hit zero, meaning a technically flawless performance: the U12 All-Star team; Blackout, U12 prep team; Legends, and the U16 All-Star team; Takeover.

"They did their routine exactly as choreographed - no falls, bobbles, or legality warnings," said Meshke. "This is a big deal in the cheer world!"

Out of 218 teams, the Western Athletics team, Blackout, was selected at the end of the weekend for the Spirit Award. 

After regrouping last minute as a result of a team member being injured, the girls pulled together in an amazing show of spirit, highlighting them as worthy of the award.

"Within our club, this meant a lot to us, as developing exceptional sportsmanship and strength of character through athletics is something we prioritize and structure our program around so it was so amazing to see this recognized at a competition this size," Meshke noted. 

The Western Athletics teams advancing to provincials are two U8 teams; Prodigies and Impact, two U12 teams; Blackout and Legends, and U16 team; Takeover.

The southwest will cheer on the teams as they head to Saskatoon this coming Saturday to face off in the Saskatchewan Cheerleading Provincial Championships.