‘Starz’ shine bright

Tsunami All-Starz members perform Saturday at a Wild Rivers Community Foundation fundraiser. See A2 for more on that event. Del Norte Triplicate/Rick Postal

Despite competing against bigger teams from larger metro areas, the group came away with the Sportsmanship Award at the American Masterpiece Cheer and Dance competition in San Jose on Jan. 21 and 22.

That’s out of 119 cheer teams at the event.

“It’s a big honor,” said Nicole Wanner, Tsunami All-Starz senior team head coach. “It was totally awesome when we found out. We were all crying. We all got a little choked up ... The kids were like “Oh my gosh, we won that.”

Teams are judged for this award based on good sportsmanship at all levels. This includes coaching staff, team members and parents and spectators. By winning the Sportsmanship Award the All-Starz received a banner, a trophy and sportsmanship medals. Also, $500 was donated in their name to an organization helping to find a cure for childhood cancer.

Ariel Potts, a freshman at Del Norte High and a member of the team, said it was a special moment when the award was announced.

“We were all just jumping up and down and having fun,” she said.

To her, sportsmanship is crucial in cheering. After all, she said, a cheer team is supposed to excite and motivate a crowd and to be a positive part of whatever event it is taking part in.

“It makes me feel like I’m part of something bigger in life,” she

said about being part of the All-Starz team.

The Tsunami All-Starz Senior team, which currently consists of 14 girls and one boy ages 8 to 17,  has been going to the event since 2004.

Halie De Arman, a sophomore at Del Norte High, has been cheering since she was 4.

She said winning the Sportsmanship Award as a team and representing the community was an honor.

“I was very surprised we won since we were such a small team,” she said. “We won it with only 15 people against such bigger groups. It’s great to win something like this.”

In the competition portion of the event, the All-Starz Senior team placed fourth out of seven in its division.

It missed the first place spot by only a point and performed a “flawless routine,”  Wanner said.  

The squad will next compete at the Aloha Spirit Championships in San Jose on March 10.

Watching the kids she teaches thrive and develop a love for the sport has been fulfilling for Wanner.

“I love teaching these kids what I know,” she said. “Hopefully by passing on my knowledge they can do that as well for the next generation of kids coming in.”

To cover travel costs, the team holds fundraisers. Currently members are selling heart-shaped chocolates for Valentine’s Day for  $1 apiece. For more information call Wanner at 218-5843.

Reach Bill Choy at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it