Ages of participants range from 12 to 25
The nine-girl South Jersey Storm Twisters special needs cheerleading team is headed to Walt Disney World in April to perform in the World Cheerleading Championships Cheer-Abilities Division. Four members of the team are from Sewell.
“I fell down to the floor and cried,” was coach Shelly Nolan’s reaction when she found out about the team’s bid.
The members of Nolan’s team range in age from 12 to 25 and have autism, Aspergers, Down syndrome and other genetic conditions. However, Nolan says, “we highlight what they are able to do. Not what they can’t do.”
The Storm Twisters perform in the unassisted division, known as Cheer Abilities, meaning the squad performs without assistance at competitions and competes against other teams in the same division. There are more than 600 special needs cheerleading teams registered in the United States.
“All year round, this is what we’ve been preparing for. We want to go to worlds,” Nolan said.
The cheer team practices at Rastelli Kids Complex in Sewell. The “cheer season” starts in September and carries through April.
With the goal of “worlds” in mind, Nolan said the girls have been perfecting a 2:30 routine that includes stunts, jumps, dance and tumbling.
A video of the routine was recorded and sent to the United States All-Star Federation. Normally, Nolan explained, the USASF only permits a small number of special needs cheer teams at the competition, but for the 2018 competition, the USASF chose to increase the number of bids to five.
The news of the bid came to Nolan early on March 8 and she kept the secret until later that night. Rather than tell the team privately, the unveiling turned into a community event.
“One of our teams that is going to worlds already, Lady Reign, our elite team in the gym, made a banner to announce to [Storm Twisters] that they are going to Disney with them,” Nolan said.
This announcement came after 6ABC’s video cameras were already set up in the gym.
“There were so many tears. I have one student who won’t stop saying ‘Walt Disney World.’ We went to do our cheer of ‘South-Jersey-Storm’ and she said ‘Walt-Disney-World!’ instead,” Nolan said.
While Nolan and everyone involved with the team is excited, the trip does not come without cost.
The bid is a considered an “at-large bid” meaning travel and lodging expenses are not covered. In response, a GoFundMe page has been created with a goal of $12,000.
Nolan has been coaching the South Jersey Storm Twisters for three years — special needs coaching for seven years total — and coaches cheer and tumbling for special needs and non.
“I fell in love working with the kids,” Nolan said.
Nolan stated the most fulfilling aspect of her job is seeing her cheerleaders accomplish a new skill and overcome a fear.
She expressed inclusiveness is a big aspect of her program and USASF in general, saying when the team finishes a routine, “every person gets on their feet and all that competition goes away and everyone cheers on your team and to see the industry come together, that’s what it’s all about.”
The South Jersey Storm Twisters perform in the World Cheerleading Championships in Orlando, Fla., on April 28.
To donate money to help the Storm Twisters go to Disney, us this link: https://www.gofundme.com/help-twisters-follow-their-dream
