IT'S KNOWN as the sport of smiles, and head coach Danielle Pike, 23, has every reason to grin when she talks about her cheerleading group, the Galaxy Cheer Team.

Based at the Wye Gymnastics Centre in Portskewett, the group celebrated its third birthday earlier this month, and is currently riding on the high of having won the ICC Welsh Open in Newport in January – the first time they have won a competition.

Although cheerleading is often thought of as sideshow entertainment at American sports games, the sport is a highly skilled discipline of fast-paced dancing, awe-inspiring jumps, throws and tumbles.

It requires dedication, strength and stamina, as well as often needing a head for heights.

The club's next competition, the British Cheerleading Association’s Spring Spirit Sensation, takes place on February 28 in Exeter. But even with nine younger members, and 18 older ones taking part, Miss Pike doesn’t feel the need to put pressure on the girls competing.

She said: “As a new team, I just care that the kids go and enjoy it. Winning is amazing – and I cried my eyes out at the last one, I was really emotional – but it’s about the taking part. They love it.”

Miss Pike, accompanied by assistant coach Louise Greener, trains the teams an hour per week and also puts on sessions in local primary schools in six week blocks.

Two groups make up the Galaxy Cheer Team, with 12 members in the younger team, aged five to 10 years, and around 24 members in the older team, aged 11 to 16 years. The competition team is comprised of 18 from both age groups, with extra who train alongside them.

The closer the group get to a competition, extra sessions are put on including an all day practice.

A weekly extra-curricular class at Caldicot Comprehensive School also takes place with 16 members. They hope to take part in a competition themselves soon, as long as funding can be found.

And Miss Pike has hopes to expand further next year, hopefully establishing a seniors team for those aged 16 years and over. She said: “I might even get my own cheer uniform out and dust it off to take part.”

Her love of cheerleading started while attending Glamorgan University. Having trained in gymnastics when she was younger, she joined the university’s cheer team when she found there was no gymnastics team.

She said: “I fell in love with it straight away and trained all the time. I decided to do my qualifications and there’s nothing like it in Caldicot so I decided to try and develop a team. It’s going really well.”

Despite the team’s successes, Miss Pike admits that there are some difficulties.

Uniforms, essential for competing, cost £100 per child, and transport to competitions are an additional, necessary expenditure for each family.

Although the team do not currently have sponsorship, they are hopeful this may develop in the future meaning more people can take part.

In the meantime, the group is constantly fundraising to make it as cheap as possible. They have been able to cut the cost of each uniform in half by doing cake sales, sponsored walks and bag packing in local supermarkets, as well as their annual showcase for family and friends.

Speaking about the benefits of cheerleading, Miss Pike said: “Of course there’s fitness, the girls train hard and there’s gymnastics involved. But it’s also a big friendship thing – a lot of the girls didn’t know each other when they started and now they’re so close.

“Lifting and throwing people around, you have to be able to trust them. We do a lot of bonding exercises as a team.

“But the main thing is the confidence and how I see it grow in the girls. When I did my first session, only one girl turned up and she didn’t say a word to me, she would only nod or shake her head.

“Now she’s doing solos on her own as well as taking part in the team routines. She’s always got a smile on her face. There’s a few that have come out of their shells.”

What’s remarkable is that it’s the mother of that girl who is now Miss Pike’s assistant coach. Louise Greener, 35, from Sedbury in Chepstow, had never done anything like it before.

She said: “I decided to become a coach as Danni was looking for an assistant while the team was growing. I thought it would be a great opportunity.

“I like how the sport is for any ability. It doesn't matter if you can't dance or do forward rolls, everyone is welcome and it's so nice to see them progress.”

Speaking about her daughter, Faith, she added: “I have seen my shy five-year-old grow in to a confident nine-year-old and that's all thanks to Danni and the team. Galaxy is very much a part of our family now. Not only has it helped Faith, it has given me the confidence to try something new.

“Joining the team has been the best thing we have ever done, it's so rewarding to see how the girls have progressed and grown.”

Other parents were also keen to speak highly of Miss Pike and the team.

Emma, the mum of Izzy Vigus, eight, from Bulwark in Chepstow, said: “Being part of such an amazing team has given my daughter confidence and she now has friends for life.”

Jodi, mum of Alicia Lloyd, eight, from Caldicot, also spoke of the positive effects of joining the team. She said: “For years, Alicia would not join clubs or do anything outgoing, but since joining she is confident not only in cheerleading, but school as well. If she could come more than once a week, she would.”

Anyone interested in taking part or in sponsoring the team can contact Miss Pike by email at galaxycheerleaders12@gmail.com or call 07725 028286.