A glimpse into All-Star cheerleading with the Tiri sisters

In the Nordics we are used to a certain style when it comes to cheerleading. Usually, we compete under the regulations drawn up by the world organization ICU. However, there are different cheer-styles in the world, one of the most well-known of them being All-Star cheerleading, which is especially prevalent in the States.

We had a chance to interview two Finnish sisters who have experience in all-star cheerleading in addition to the Nordic one. Carissa and Lumia Tiri both have about 10 years of experience in the sport. From 2015-2017 both of the sisters competed for an All Star Club called Boca Extreme in Florida.  

Carissa
Age: 17
Current team: HAC Elite and Team Finland Junior All-gir

Lumia
Age: 13
Current team: HAC Youth Elite

"Our neighbor was into cheerleading and a club named FSC from Porvoo offered a set of three free tryouts to see if one enjoyed the vibe. Our mom wanted me and our older sister to try out the sport. I fell in love with the it right from the first training sessions and have stayed on this path ever since," says Carissa.

Lumia started in a micro team when she was 3 years old, following her older sibling.

The sisters noticed several differences between the All Star and Nordic cheerleading. In All Star cheerleading, there were significantly more competitions, hosted nearly every other weekend resulting in long competition seasons. The team members used all travel to the competitions with their own vehicles, even though the journeys were sometimes long.

They also had their families following along and staying with them during the trips. In general, the parents were more involved and often came along both to the practices and competitions.
Carissa trained in two different competitive teams at the same time, which is not usual in Finland for any club teams. The team sizes were smaller, and the teams had no reserve athletes. The athletes themselves did not choose which team they qualified for, but the coaches made the decisions.

The sisters noticed several differences between the All Star and Nordic cheerleading. In All Star cheerleading, there were significantly more competitions, hosted nearly every other weekend resulting in long competition seasons. The team members used all travel to the competitions with their own vehicles, even though the journeys were sometimes long. They also had their families following along and staying with them during the trips. In general, the parents were more involved and often came along both to the practices and competitions.

Carissa trained in two different competitive teams at the same time, which is not usual in Finland for any club teams. The team sizes were smaller, and the teams had no reserve athletes. The athletes themselves did not choose which team they qualified for, but the coaches made the decisions.

"In the qualifiers, the focus was on tumbling and dance, no stunts were done at all. In addition to the team's joint training, the athletes had mandatory tumbling training once a week. The club organized free sessions many times a week, where tumbling training was possible. There were also coaches on shifts giving tumbling guidance."

The focus on tumbling is very clear in All Star cheerleading, where we often witness spectacular tumbling parts performed by the whole team. A flexible spring floor serves as the competition platform, on which it is naturally easier to practice and perform tumbling difficulties. The competition platform according to the ICU regulations is a safety mat without suspension, which is what most of the Nordics are used to.

"The structure of the competition program is really different. The program has, for example, much more dance and choreography." Jumps, which have been completely removed from the ICU point chart in recent years, are also critical areas in All Star cheerleading.

"The vibe at the competitions was different. More teams were cheered on, and family members got to cheer on the edge of the mat. There was also no jewelry inspection at all. In each competition, the three best teams received medals"

The practice wear also differed from the Nordic trends. They often trained with only undershorts and sports bras, which is usually quite the opposite to what we are used to here in the Nordics. Everyone had to buy a competition uniform for themselves individually each year, so they were not the property of the clubs.

To have a team spirit is equally important in the States as it is for us here in Finland. The siblings are used to host celebratory dinners with their teams after competition performances. The amount of training has remained the same, and day camps are organized in both. Also, the required skills are largely the same, and almost all the grips in the stunts.

When moving back to Finland, the siblings faced no significant challenges. "Of course, there were small differences, for example in tumbling, when you had to switch from a spring floor to a regular mat. It was also challenging when you got used to hear and follow the English terms for the skills. We did not necessarily immediately understand what the skill was about when the coaches instructed in Finnish. The structure of the program was also different, which felt strange at first."

In Carissa's opinion, the best part of All Star cheerleading was the feeling at the competitions. "The feeling was just so different. I also liked the fact that I could be in two clubs at the same time, because I got to experience everything twice."

The best thing for Lumia was the friends and the team spirit. "I also liked the different themed practices and other special practices."

The sisters highlight the performance culture. Americans, and especially the All Star cheerleaders, are known for their spectacular performances. Facial expressions and body language are confident and creative.

"Furthermore, it would also be nice if all the teams encouraged each other more. Perhaps switching to spring floor would also increase the amount of tumbling in the programs."