Building a Legacy

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This article was published 17/08/2021 (1702 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Legacy Cheerleading in Oak Bluff is putting cheerleading in the spotlight by offering a wide range of classes for anyone interested, or just curious.

Owners Danessa Picard and Alice Charles opened their doors in June of last year.

“It wasn’t much to look at but it was by far one of our most monumental experiences,” Picard said.  

“The facility honestly started as a dream. We had begun a program where we rented space from Winnipeg Gymnastics Centre and a community centre to run our team practices; soon the available time and space began to limit our vision for the program.

“Not to mention we were growing in numbers each season. Cheerleading is one of the most team-minded sports that exists and we were wanting to increase our offerings to our athletes.”

Picard, 32, and Charles, 30, searched until they found a safe, welcoming space they could occupy full time and make fully their own.

“We opened with the intention of utilizing cheerleading and its associated modalities as a conduit to the infinite opportunities of personal growth and community cheerleading provides,” Picard said.

“Our mission is to provide athletes of all ages the amazing experiences and lessons we have been fortunate enough to get through our time in the sport. The mental and physical challenges cheerleading offers, while also providing a team atmosphere, (are) parallel to no other sport.

“There is something special about the journey cheerleading takes a person on and we are lucky enough to have the tools to provide that to those who are looking to find their ‘thing’.”

The founders met when both were athletes with the University of Manitoba Bison cheerleading team.

Picard has been actively involved in the sport since she was 13. She was a member of her high school’s cheer team, multiple club teams and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers cheer and dance team. She is a provincially accredited coach, judges cheer competitions and was the judging director when she served on the board of Cheer Manitoba

Charles’ experience in cheerleading began with the Bison cheer team and she has an extensive background as a dancer and competitive artistic gymnast.  

Legacy Cheerleading offers various levels of cheer classes.

The ‘white stream’ is for those looking for an entry-level introduction to cheerleading-style classes. Its ‘blue stream’ is for those interested in making cheerleading part of their regular extracurricular activities. In this stream, the athletes spend a full season competing locally and practising twice a week.

Legacy’s ‘gold stream’ is for athletes who have decided they want to specialize in cheerleading. These athletes compete both locally and nationally, and generally make cheerleading their sport of choice.

“The best thing about cheerleading, is its inclusivity and versatility,” Picard said. “When we say there is a place for everyone, we mean everyone.

“Unlike other team sports where only a few people get to participate on game day, cheerleading has each and every teammate on the floor at all times during competition. The routine depends on it. That fact alone allows for a massive breadth of opportunity to grow and learn as not only an athlete but as a human. The lessons and skills developed through this inter-connectivity are parallel to none.”
Current students range in age from two to 30-plus and travel from the R.M. of Macdonald, Winnipeg, Teulon, Ste. Anne, Beausejour and Steinbach to attend classes.

In addition to cheerleading teams and streams, Legacy Cheerleading offers tumbling classes, where athletes work on skills similar to floor routines in artistic gymnastics, a cheer-style dance team, as well as open gym time where everyone is free to work on any skills while being supervised.

In the summer, Legacy offers camps, evening skills clinics, and open gym time.  

“This is absolutely a sport for all ages and experience levels. We don’t just stand on the sidelines of other sports games. In competitive cheerleading we are the main attraction,” Picard said

“At Legacy we strive to be as inclusive and accessible as possible,” she added. “We believe that finances should never be a barrier to sport access and we welcome everyone to reach out to us.

“(We) have a ‘come as you are’ mentality and are better for it. Everyone who walks through our doors is family: community is our guiding principle.”  

Learn more by visiting www.legacycheerleading.com, @legacycheerleading on Instagram and Legacy Cheerleading on Facebook.