Three cheers for New West Cheer.
The New West Cheer team is on a roll, having recently become the grand champions at the Okanagan Cheer championships. Prior to that, theteam placed first in its division and runner-up grand champion of all B.C. school programs in the recent Sea to Sky international cheer championships.
The team consist of 16 athletes: AcholAbdalla (senior); AndreaEchem; AnibiheAbdalla; AvaLee; BreannaStones;CharissaVanags;GiselleWhittaker;JaneDut (senior and captain);KaylaFerguson (senior);LiaSokugawa;PatienceDossen;Samantha Montgomery;ShaelinNorthgraves (senior); ShaneWard (senior); TaliaMonno; and VeronicaOsborn.
“Our newly recognized Olympic sport is full of blood, sweat and tears, and this team has gone through it all over the years,” said coach Nicole Pasacreta in an email to the Record. “For this season, we started training in summer, competed more than ever and focused less on traditional cheering and more on our sport and being athletes with a winning routine. All the hard work has paid off. We couldn’t be more proud of the team.”
Along with Pasacreta, Jasmine Miriguay coaches the team that’s now in its fourth season. The girls train out of the Royal City Cheer and Tumbling Society’s gym, which has allowed the group to flourish.
The team, which consists of students in Grade 9 to 12, has placed well in various competitions all season long. Prior to the Sea to Sky international cheer championship in April, the team won its division and was grand champions of all schools in the Mardi Party cheer competition.
“The win at Mardi Party didn’t feel as big as this one. We have five seniors that have been with us for nearly all seasons and every years we have struggled at Sea to Sky,” Pasacreta said in a statement to the Record. “They wanted this so bad. At Sea they won sweaters. That really felt like the symbol of success we have worked for all (these) years.”
New West artist up for award
Kudos to New Westminster artist James Nizram, who has been long-listed for the Sobey Art Award.
“This is the preeminent Canadian prize for artists 40 and under,” said Sarah Joyce, director and curator of the New Media Gallery in an email to the Record. “The artists nominated this year are incredible and strong.”
New West residents can see some of Nizram’s larger-than-life work for themselves. He recently installed Heliographic Scale, a public art installation part of the Capture Photo Festival, at 611Sixth St.
“New Media Gallery have been longtime supporters of James,” Joyce said. “He has been nominated before; but this one is very meaningful for him.”
