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N A T I O N A L C H A M P I O N S White Oaks cheerleaders claim Canadian title All the hard work the White Oaks cheerleading team put in was finally rewarded. White Oaks won the small school senior division at the recent Canadian National Cheer & Dance Championships in Niagara Falls, performing a clean routine and totalling a score of 242.76 points to beat out seven other entries. The team had won provincial titles in previous years under coach Michelle McCormick, but had not won a national championship in McCormick's four-year tenure. White Oaks was second at this year's provincial meet. "(The girls) worked tirelessly since then to perfect their skills and increase the difficulty of their routine so they could execute at the biggest cheerleading competition in Canada," McCormick said. "We would not have been as successful if it wasn't for the dedication and camaraderie that these ladies have demonstrated this season. Training was hard, but they supported each other and pushed to achieve their personal (goals) as well as team goals. I actually cried when they finished their last run (at nationals) because all the hard work they put in had paid off." Two-thirds of the White Oaks roster was new to the sport this year. McCormick credited the team's returnees for being supportive and welcoming to their new teammates, and added White Oaks principal John Stieva has also been a positive influence on the team for the past four years. Members of the team are Amber Syme, Veronica Zhao, Ariel Zhao, Selena Cai, Rachel Clements, Stephanie Little, Hunter Mclaughlin, Kaitlyn Freitag, Regan Taylor, Livia Han, Marlayna Kaan, Michaela McCarthy, Kumiko Randle, Saumya Madan and Kayla Pope. 29 | Friday, May 24, 2013 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com The White Oaks cheerleading team won the small school senior division at the Canadian National Cheer & Dance Championships, held recently in Niagara Falls.| photo submitted