If you told Alicia Lyons, the co-founder of Point Park’s cheer squad, that her club would be recognized as a sports team one day, she would have cried.

“To know that others after I graduated kept that legacy alive and get to experience it in an entirely new way literally brings me so much joy,” Lyons said. Seven years of practices in hallways and ballrooms later, Point Park has added a new addition to their athletics department – the Competitive Cheer and Dance Team. The co-ed cheer and dance team are now able to compete and be recognized by the NAIA.

Head coach Bettina Herold and assistant coach Nicole Joyce will be leading the teams with Kristen Musloe as the captain of the cheer team and Gabriella De Lima as the captain of the dance team. There are currently 17 members of the cheer team and 16 members of the dance team.

Herold has been the cheer coach since it was only a club team at Point Park. She’s proud and excited to see the cheer and dance team become a competitive team. Herold said, “The recognition of the potential for competitive teams means that the work and dedication that I have put into building the current club team has paid off.”

Musloe is excited to be a part of a team that is recognized as an official sport.

“In the past, we’ve always had to fundraise like crazy and now that we don’t have to focus on that as much, we’ll have more time to focus on being the best athletes we can be,” Musloe said.

Even though this is the first year for a dance team at Point Park, De Lima is excited to be the first captain.

“Having this new team, we might not have all of our ducks in a row but that’s the best part because as a team we can build it to become something great,” De Lima said.

Competing will be new to the upperclassman but De Lima isn’t worried. She says it will be a learning experience for this upcoming year but she’s excited to show off the new team.

“We are all so thrilled about the competition aspect being added to our program,” Musloe said. “We have such a talented group of athletes, and we can’t wait to showcase our talents in competition.”

Herold is certain that her athletes will represent the Point Park community in an exceptional manner at all competitions. “Our program is focused on developing our athletes with the elite skills of competitive cheerleading and dance with an emphasis on participation, teamwork, safety and responsibility,” said Herold.

De Lima and Musloe have similar goals as captains towards the growth of the team.

“I’m willing to push this team to their limit, and I hope that in return we come out as a stronger team then what they started as,” De Lima said.

Both De Lima and Musloe said their goal is to be a leader that their teammates can look up to and rely on.

Even though they are competing, they have come together to be a team and fight their way to be an official, recognized sport. What once was a club of 30 eager cheerleaders with t-shirts and pom-poms going to basketball games is now a competitive cheer and dance team that is recognized for their hard work, athleticism and determination to showcase the talent they have.

“Being a part of a family that is so passionate about a sport that had to overcome so many obstacles that believed in the big picture and what it would someday become,” Lyons said. “That’s all it’s truly about.”