After eight years as a gymnast, Mia Butcher is soaring to new heights as a competitive cheerleader.
The Frances Kelsey Secondary Grade 10 student attended spring training with Island Elite Cheerleading in Esquimalt last year, and signed on with two teams: Swell and Big Surf. She has since experienced success with both squads.
Big Surf finished first in Open Level 4 at the prestigious Sea to Sky International Cheer Competition in Vancouver in early April. Swell, meanwhile, obtained an at-large bid to attend the Summit All-Star Cheerleading Championships at Walt Disney World in May, one of the largest international competitions in the sport.