KEIGHLEY teenager Sian Reid has returned from America when she competed in the finals of the cheerleading world championships.

She was a member of the Aviator Allstars Team Stealth who took part in the tournament at Walt Disney World Resort Orlando.

Sian, 17, who runs her own cheer school and provides cheerleaders for Keighley Cougars, travelled to the USA with the Leeds-based team last month.

The young people spent seven days acclimatising, training and preparing for competition on April 23, where they qualified for the the following day’s final.

Sian’s mother Vena said: “Following an outstanding performance, they achieved an amazing 15th place, out of 60 qualifying participants.

“Sian was the youngest in the 22 strong team. It has always been her dream to compete at the World Championships, and at such a young age she had a life-changing experience and achieved great success.”

The United States All Star Federation (USASF) is host to the Cheerleading and Dance World Championship every year.

More than 120 USASF/IASF event producers across the USA send their top teams to compete in ‘the Worlds’, and more than 40 other countries send the top teams from their premier national championships

Vena added: “This international event brings together more than 9,000 cheer and 3,500 dance athletes to vie for world champion titles in senior and international club divisions and categories.”

Sian last year started the Team X-Treme School of Dance and Cheer, now based Cavendish Court in Keighley.

While in her mid-teens Sian was a cheerleader at the Rugby World Cup, danced in music videos, and won the European Championships.

Vena said: “Sian wishes to help others achieve great things such as she has.

“Her aim, along with other coaches she has employed, is to offer first-class coaching, personal development and exciting opportunities.”

Team X-Treme offers gymnastics, street dance and cheerleading classes, as well as being the official cheerleading squad for the Keighley Cougars, the girls performing at half-time during every home fixture.

Vena said her daughter was trying to dispel the perception that cheerleading is the “uncompetitive preserve of blonde beauty queens rah-rahing with pom-poms” by showing what Team X-Treme could do.

She said: “Some people may have an outdated view that it's just waving pom-poms, but if you open your eyes and look at modern cheerleading it's a lot more sporty than many other sports out there.

“It is more athletic and requires real skill and technique.

“The exciting thing is when it empowers young people to take charge of their lives, to stay fit and active and say no to unhealthy life choices.

“The best thing about cheerleading is that everyone has to work as part of a team, one wrong move and the pyramid falls down.

“If one person doesn’t execute their move completely and cleanly the whole team gets marked down by the judges.”

E-mail vena.reid@yahoo.co.uk for more information about Team X-Treme.