Thursday, March 20, 2025
The Levittown Pride Cubs cheer team took home a national title at the Universal Cheerleading Association’s National High School Cheerleading Championship, winning first place in the Open Traditional Recreational 12U division. The competition, held Feb. 7-10 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida, brought together top teams from across the country.
The 12U team, consisting of 36 athletes and two alternates from the Levittown School District, competed against 11 top teams from across the country. The Cubs, whose members range in age from 9 to 13, earned their spot in the competition by securing a high enough score at a regional qualifier. The UCA championship, a prestigious varsity-level event, featured around 75,000 participants from across the country.
Levittown competed in the open traditional recreational 12U division, facing off against powerhouse teams such as Live Oak from Louisiana, a feeder program for a high school that has won nationals eight times.
"We beat their 12-year-old REC team, which is probably one of the reasons why we've been catapulted into infamy right now." AnneMarie Guerra, Director of Cheer at Levittown Pride Football and Cheerleading and coach of the Cubs, said.
The cubs cheer team is part of Levittown Pride Football and Cheerleading, a nonprofit youth sports organization offering football and cheer programs. It provides training, competition opportunities, and a focus on teamwork, sportsmanship, and personal growth for young athletes.
The competition was structured in a bracket format, with the Cubs advancing through two rounds before securing first place. Their performance was judged on stunting, tumbling, crowd leading, and overall execution, earning them a score in the 80s out of 100. Guerra emphasized the dedication required to reach this level, particularly in overcoming challenges such as illness and scheduling conflicts with school activities.
"It was gratifying,” Guerra said. “They actually, at such a young age, realized that giving up personal time and working as hard as they did paid off."
Beyond the trophy, Guerra believes the experience instilled valuable life lessons in the athletes.
"It’s not just a medal or a title. It’s life lessons,” she noted. “That was the win for them, and they’re so young, and they actually understand that."
The program emphasizes commitment, sportsmanship, and teamwork, helping the athletes set and achieve both short-term and long-term goals.
The Levittown community has played a significant role in supporting youth sports, including fundraising efforts for the nonprofit program. Looking ahead, Guerra said preliminary discussions are underway to return to nationals next year at the 14U level, though some athletes will be moving on to their high school cheer teams.
"We’re excited for what’s to come, whether it be another national team or just our program growing,” she said. “The work is worth it."
