ARE you ready to be thrilled by the latest, craziest cheerleading stunts?

The 15th edition of CHEER, Malaysia’s premier inter-school cheerleading competition, was launched on Friday in Menara Star, Pataling Jaya, Selangor.

Defending champions, the Cyrens, from SM Sri Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, were on hand for the ceremonial returning of the CHEER champions trophy.

Cyrens cheerleaders getting ready to perform at the CHEER 2014 launch last week.

If you haven’t been keeping up with our CHEER competition, fun fact: The Cyrens have won four times in a row! That doesn’t mean they’re taking success for granted, though.

“We have been training all year for CHEER,” said Cyrens cheerleader Rachel Lu, 17, excitedly. “Even with the SPM and ‘O’-Levels exams this year, we’re excited and determined to take the trophy home again.”

“We prepare them all year long, and we have very specific training methods,” shared their coach, Tan Yee Ming, founder and director of Cheer Aspirations.

“We start planning their routine closer to the competition. Now, one month before, they are familiarising themselves with their routines and cutting down on training, so they are more rested and at their full potential for the competition.”

Last year’s Co-Ed division champions, the Mickeymitez from SMK Damansara Jaya, have opted to go full steam ahead, though, practising almost every day. The team also won the Co-Ed division back in 2011.

“The children are practising almost every day of the week, even weekends,” exclaimed Shyamala Vathani, Mickeymitez’s teacher advisor. “They are all out, they’ve won it (the trophy) twice, and they want to go for a third win!”

It may sound gruelling, but the Mickeymitez are pumped up and ready to go.

“It’s not easy, but if you believe in yourself, everything will work out,” Mickeymitez cheerleader Goon Weng Kitt, 17, said.

The competition, co-sponsored by U Mobile and SimplySiti, is also sanctioned by the Cheerleading Association and Registrar of Malaysia (CHARM) and supported by the Youth and Sports Ministry and the Education Ministry.

“We support the concept of a healthy lifestyle,” said Muhammad Zain Ibrahim, chief executive officer of SimplySiti.

“Datuk Siti (Nurhaliza, the founder of the brand) is a very wholesome person and that has translated into the brand, so I think the association of CHEER and SimplySiti is apt.”

“We’re a young, dynamic, active brand, and we are looking to always have synergies with whatever events we’re organising,” said Jeannette Lee, U Mobile’s head of marketing and communication, brand and digital. “We find that this is a really good fit for us, because these kids are motivated and they are challenging themselves to do better.”

CHEER 2014 will be held from Aug 23- 24 at the Putra Indoor Stadium, Bukit Jalil. Admission is free.

For more information on CHEER 2014, go to facebook.com/TheStarCHEER.