Leading the Cheer: Part 2

GREEN BAY - A growing number of cheerleaders are competing and training with private teams. It's a big business and is making a mark on Northeast Wisconsin. FOX 11's Lindsay Veremis explains what is leading the cheer.

Most of the 9 to 14-year-olds at Green Bay Elite aren't even in high school or on a school squad, but they are among the most accomplished cheerleaders in the country.

"Cheerleading started from the sidelines, the sideline cheerleading where you're there to support your team. Then it evolved into its own competitive sport," said Green Bay Elite's owner, Cherokee Greendeer.

Green Bay Elite is a private, for-profit gym dedicated to competitive, non-school based cheerleading, known as all-stars.

"They get a lot of confidence, they learn discipline," Heidi Wallenfang, an All-Star Cheer parent said.

Unlike high school cheerleaders, all-stars pay for training, uniforms and competitions. Parents say it's worthwhile, but can be expensive.

"About $200 maybe a month, that would be with your monthly lessons, plus if you're doing your weekly private," Wallenfang said.

Wallenfang says that doesn't include competition fees and travel. Her 6-year-old daughter attends six or seven competitions out of state, as well as numerous local events.

"If she ever didn't want to do it anymore that would be fine, but she loves it," said Wallenfang.

"It is a very, very big industry. We were just at cheer sport nationals in Atlanta Georgia where there were 900 teams. There were 21,000 kids in Atlanta Georgia," Greendeer said.

Greendeer is helping one of the gym's junior teams, girls 14 years and under, prepare for the April Cheerleading World Championships. Teams from across the country and throughout the world, will attend the Florida event.

The junior team is one of three in the U.S. who've qualified to compete in their division. The championships is invitation only and costly. Organizers pay expenses for a few of the top teams, but won't cover junior groups like Green Bay Elite. Together, the team will spend up to $25,000 on travel, lodging and fees.

"To an outsider its cheerleading and cheerleading is just one big sport, but it's really a whole other ball game," Ultimate Fusion owner, Erica Berndt said.

Berndt says all star cheerleading is about performance, stunting and tumbling, not leading a crowd.

Fusion has 84 cheerleaders, from the 3 to 5-year-old tiny team, to the elite senior team, 18 years and younger.

The programs have long been a staple in southern states, but it wasn't until the last five years that they really began to take off in Northeast Wisconsin.

Green Bay Elite opened in 1999.

"There was nothing here, I think the only gym I know of, Badger had one in Madison and there was another one called CYC in Kenosha, Wisconsin," Greendeer said.

Fast forward to 2010 and there's four cheer-focused gyms in northeast Wisconsin. Plus, gymnastics centers that are keeping up with the trend and its profits, offering cheer classes or teams of their own.

"I would love to see it grow as much as it has down south," said Berndt.

Berndt says Wisconsin is making progress, but has a ways to go. The U.S. All-Star Federation sanctions all-star cheerleading has official directors in 45 states. Wisconsin, isn't one of them.

Coaches say the state has largely focused on other girls activities like soccer, softball and basketball. But with some colleges offering full scholarships for cheerleading, parents say the mindset is changing.

"It's not just about now, it's about her future, college scholarship and exciting things that are going to happen for her in her future, she is working toward her future," All Star Cheer parent Jennifer Harke said.