Cheer, dance squads compete at Chattanooga Convention Center

Two bits, four bits, six bits, a dollar - 14,000 folks in town to holler at annual Athletic Championships

The Memphis Pride Allstars compete during the 2018 Athletic Championships for cheer and dance squads at the Chattanooga Convention Center.
The Memphis Pride Allstars compete during the 2018 Athletic Championships for cheer and dance squads at the Chattanooga Convention Center.

If you go

› What: Athletic Championships cheer and dance nationals› When: 8 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 19-20› Where: Chattanooga Convention Center, 1150 Carter St.› Admission: $20 adults Saturday or Sunday, $35 for a weekend pass; $15 and $25 for military, seniors and children 5 and older› Website: www.varsity.com./ath.

Maybe "flexterity" isn't a word, but the term could apply to the competitors arriving Thursday in Chattanooga for the annual Athletic Championships, a spirit-filled, body-bending competition for youth cheer and dance squads.

This M.L. King weekend tradition at the Chattanooga Convention Center is the biggest booked event of the month, according to the Chattanooga Convention & Visitors Bureau, with an estimated 14,000 coming to compete, coach or behold the skills on display.

The school, all-star and recreational teams competing in Chattanooga are coming from 10 states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

Did you know?

Athletic Championships is a leading producer of all-star cheer and dance nationals across the country. It’s one of multiple competitions run by Varsity Brands, whose business interests range from team sports equipment and apparel to cheerleading uniforms and competitions to college rings and graduation products.

Their ranks include Cheer Extreme from Chattanooga, Integrity Elite All Stars of Hixson, Edge Elite Cheer from Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee Tumbling & Cheer from Cleveland and Hot Shots of Fort Oglethorpe. All have multiple teams competing.

Competition begins at 8 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 19-20, with squads taking the floor every three minutes. Saturday's routines are scheduled to end around 8:45 p.m., with a half-hour dinner break around 6 p.m.

Sunday's competitions will conclude by 7:30 p.m., with awards scheduled at 11 a.m., 4:55 p.m. and 7:57 p.m.

Tickets may be purchased online at EventBrite.com. An email confirmation will enable spectators to receive admission wristbands (all ticketholders must be present). Tickets are not required for children 4 and younger. Military personnel and seniors receiving discounted admission will have to show qualifying ID at the venue.

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