ORANGE BOWL COMMITTEE TO HOLD ANNUAL OBYFA CHEER AND DANCE CHAMPIONSHIPS AT NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
Miami Lakes, FL (www.orangebowl.org) – You can hear them every Saturday – cheering, clapping, chanting and energizing entire parks. Cheerleaders of the Orange Bowl Youth Football Alliance (OBYFA) motivate the tacklers and perform for the crowds every Saturday. These dedicated squads practice during the week while trying to balance schoolwork, social activities and family life. The spotlight will shift from the gridiron to the stage at the OBYFA Cheer & Dance Championships on Sunday, November 15.
With doors opening at 8:00 a.m. at Nova Southeastern’s Don Taft University Center, the Orange Bowl Committee (OBC) will host an estimated 1,300 cheerleaders and dancers. The 300,000 square-foot facility was built in 2006 and serves as the university’s sports arena and wellness center while also hosting the school’s performing arts program. Competition begins promptly at 9:00 a.m. and will continue throughout the day.
“The Cheer & Dance Championships are a critical part of our youth sports program and helps to further our efforts in providing a family-like atmosphere to all our young athletes,” said Jose A. Regalado, youth sports manager of the OBYFA. “Whether it is our football players or cheerleaders, this event, like our youth football games, allows families to get together and support loved ones. This year is quickly shaping up to be the best Cheer & Dance Championships ever.”
Leagues participating in this year’s competition include the Dick Conley Memorial Youth Football League (DCMYFL), Glades Tri-City Youth Football League, Key West Junior Football League, Miami Extreme Youth Football League (MXYFL), Palm Beach Youth Football League, West Boca Tackle Football League, West Boynton Youth Football League and Western Communities Football League. Each squad will be divided into competitive classes: small (4-15 participants), medium (16-22 participants), large (23-35 participants) and judged in either “Cheer/Dance” or “Cheer/Dance/Stunt” categories. Cheerleaders and dancers will perform in front of judges, who are current and former cheerleaders and cheer coaches, and will be scored based on projection, fundamentals, dance/choreography, team precision, overall appeal and sportsmanship.
With assistances from OBYFA sponsors American Airlines, Doctors Hospital, Playmaker Charities and Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, Land Shark Stadium, AutoNation, Nestle Waters, MetroPCS, Toyota and the Greater Ft. Lauderdale CVB, each participant will receive a medal for participation and division-winners will be awarded trophies.
Additionally, the OBC’s weekly television show, Inside the Orange Bowl YFA will be on hand filming for a special feature on the Cheer and Dance Championships to be aired statewide on Sun Sports.
Tickets for the Tenth Annual Orange Bowl Cheer & Dance Championships will go on sale November 15 beginning at 7:00 a.m. at the Don Taft University Center box office. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children twelve and under with no admission charge for lap children. Furthermore, OBYFA participants wearing their team jersey with “The Patch” get in free. For more information on the Orange Cheer & Dance Championships, log onto www.orangebowl.org.
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Entering its 11th season, the Orange Bowl Youth Football Alliance (OBYFA) is home to more than 15,000 youth football players and cheerleaders in South Florida. The OBYFA consists of nine member leagues in eight South Florida counties including Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Monroe, Martin, St. Lucie, Collier and Lee. Since its inception, the OBC has invested more than $4 million in youth sports in South Florida.
For more information on the Orange Bowl Youth Football or any of its member leagues, please contact Youth Sports Manager Jose Regalado at (305) 341-4709 or yflkids@orangebowl.org. Keep up with the OBYFA at www.orangebowl.org, the official website of the Orange Bowl Committee.