Pittsburgh Pride Cheer , located in Canonsburg , heads to world competition . BY W . B . FRESA
I n 1999 , Chrissie Bianco created Pittsburgh Pride All Stars ,
a competitive cheerleading company located in Canonsburg dedicated to young athletes interested in the growing sport . Now , after almost 20 years in business , Pittsburgh Pride All Stars is headed back to the “ Super Bowl ” of cheer to compete against the most elite cheer athletes .
“ Our kids have never stopped amazing us with their talent and contribution ,” says Bianco . “ Watching them develop into courageous and strong athletes is a joy each and every day and it ’ s an honor to share our passion with them .”
The kids learn about passion from Bianco and her staff of coaches . She grew up loving all sports , including volleyball , track and , of course , cheerleading .
“ I began teaching cheerleading right out of high school as a camp instructor for a local cheer company ,” she recalls . “ I moved on to the collegiate level at both IUP and University of Pittsburgh . After graduating from Pitt , I became a personal trainer , aerobics instructor and program director for a Pittsburgh fitness gym . I always wanted to open my own gym , but I never thought it would be a ‘ cheer gym .’ However , through my coaching efforts , one of my teams won a national championship title in Florida and it introduced me to the southern teams who were showing off in a division called ‘ All Stars .’ I knew I had to bring that style of cheer back to Pittsburgh .”
Not only did Bianco bring All-Star cheer to Pittsburgh , her company was one of the first in the area . And , while it took a while for the sport to catch on and be recognized , the time spent training the athletes has been well worth it and is a popular choice among kids , especially when they make it to both The Summit and Cheer and Dance Worlds competitions held at Walt Disney World .
Pittsburgh Pride All Stars has 10 teams in several categories attending the competitions . Five teams are competing in hip-hop dance — Tribe , Destruction , Wolf Pack , Ambush and Coalition . The other five teams are competing in cheer — Roar , Ferocious , Triple Threat , Lady Royals and Majesty . These teams compete from beginner levels to elite , ages 7-18 .
“ All of our competitors are athletic team players ,” says Bianco . “ It ’ s what makes for a good cheerleader . We work not only on the fundamentals of cheer , like tumbling , dance and teamwork , but also stunting and showing kids that dedication to teamwork will pay off .”
Pride Cheer Gym is not only home to Pittsburgh Pride All Stars but also to an array of classes and training for conditioning young athletes who want to work hard and reach their peak performance .
“ We have tumbling and dance classes , private lessons , open gyms , and we hold specialty skills camps for those wanting to learn specifics ,” explains Bianco . “ Pride Cheer Gym also offers a cheer squad for kids with special needs called Super Cats . They compete locally and are coached by staff that specializes in kids with different learning disabilities . In addition , some of our cheerleaders buddy-up with Super Cats to assist in helping them learn their cheers and routines .”
Moving forward , Bianco is excited to see cheering move toward becoming an Olympic sport and says it ’ s in the final stages of approval . Her oldest daughter , Ali Bianco , who is currently the head coach and All Star director at the gym , was on Team USA Cheer Team for two years . The organization has helped pave the way for cheer to work toward official Olympic standing .
“ We are so very excited about the opportunity cheer has been given to reach a world audience ,” she says . “ We ’ re proud of what the industry has accomplished over the past 20 years and look forward to what ’ s in front of us , too .”
To learn more about Pittsburgh Pride Cheer , visit pridecheergym . com . ■
PHOTO BY PITTSBURGH PRIDE CHEER GYM
CANON-MAC ❘ SPRING 2018 17