中四国大会９連覇へ…圧倒的王者・ＩＰＵ環太平洋大学チアリーディング部　メンバー選考で流した涙【岡山】 (24/05/29 11:00)

The cheerleading squad from IPU Pacific University in Okayama City will be competing for their ninth consecutive victory at the Chugoku-Shikoku Cheerleading Championships to be held in July 2024. Announcer Juri Sato, a former cheerleader, explores the secret to their strength. Cheerleading is a serious competition full of smiles! Each performance lasts just 2 minutes and 30 seconds. 16 members form a team and captivate the audience with their acrobatic skills and smiles. The cheerleading squad from IPU Pacific University, "WARRIORS," is the overwhelming champion, having won the Chugoku-Shikoku Championship eight times in a row. The team is led by renowned coach Shuji Tomita, founder of WARRIORS, who led his Osaka high school team to nine consecutive national championships. (WARRIORS founder and coach, Hideji Tomita) "It's a sport where each person has something different to do. If you consider your own strength to be 10, it's best to have a player who can always give their all, even if it's only 5 or 6 (power). If you can unleash your full potential, when there are 16 of us, you'll have an extra something extra." To experience the strength of the WARRIORS for yourself, I (Announcer Sato), a former cheerleader, decided to give it a try. (Announcer Sato Juri) "They spun around feeling like they were standing on the ground." I couldn't hide my amazement at their exceptional stability. The WARRIORS practice nearly three hours a day on weekdays and from morning until evening on weekends. This time, in preparation for the competition, they'll attempt a challenging move for the first time: doing two backflips, climbing to the top of the third story, and then carrying two people on each side. They practice the same move over and over again. (Tournament Captain Uchida Reira (4th year)) "We need to perform with more intensity. I think we'll gain confidence if we can do it with that in mind. First of all, if we skip basic things like getting on and going up straight, it will never be a beautiful performance. Everyone needs to take responsibility for their work." It's a sport where serious injury can occur if you're not careful. That's why members give each other strict advice and raise each other's awareness. On this day, a selection test was held to decide the participating members. The Chugoku-Shikoku Tournament, where the team is aiming for their ninth consecutive victory, will be held in Okayama City in July 2024. Of the 26 members of the club, 16 will be selected. Kamiyama Asahi, a 4th year student, had particularly strong feelings about this year's selection process. In February 2023, she injured her shoulder while practicing a backflip, which caused her to develop a fear of backflips, a required part of the exam... (Vice Captain Kamiyama Asahi (4th year)) "(Q: Are you scared? Still?) I'm scared. I shouldn't be scared, but if I get injured again, I won't be able to return. To be honest, I'm scared." To make the team, she has no choice but to succeed. (Successfully performing a backflip) (Cheers) Members of the rival team also celebrate her success. ■Asahi, who was successfully selected for the team (Kamiyama Asahi) "I was so happy that I was able to do the tumbling (backflip), which was my biggest challenge, but this is not the end, it's not the goal. I want to aim for a higher level and work hard to be able to do it properly on my own. At the Chugoku-Shikoku (tournament), the fourth-year students will all work together to lead the team, and I want to do my best so that we can finish without mistakes and with smiles on our faces." The secret to WARRIORS' strength is that each individual has a desire to improve and is not afraid of failure. And all team members have the same goal and push each other to improve. Asahi and the other selected members are aiming for their ninth consecutive victory at the tournament to be held in July. WARRIORS, the overwhelming champions of Chugoku and Shikoku. The team members' passionate performance was a sight to behold.