- Jan 21, 2015
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You. Do. Not. Want. To. Miss. This. You know the Ice Queens, now witness the SPICE QUEENS.
The Vancouver Allstars IO5 team are taking the stage this year to showcase what they believe we need more of: Girl Power.
In the summer, trying to find a theme for the season that would inspire this fairly new group of girls to feel consistently driven and confident on the long road to Worlds, one of the coaches remembered the iconic British pop group, the SPICE GIRLS! Five unique women coming together to build friendships and encourage young women to be comfortable with who they are. What could be more perfect?!
Of the 24 girls on the team, only three were almost old enough to remember these Brit icons… so, how do you build a theme based on something these athletes had never experienced?
Turns out, that’s the fun part. Every Saturday, the team had Spicy Saturday, a time to bring in some new Spice Girl knowledge and share it with each other. They bonded over the fierceness of Scary Spice, the attitude of Sporty Spice and the chic of Posh. Their wardrobes outside the gym changed as they identified with one Spice over another. And then they built a themed routine like no other.
I’m sure you’ve noticed the problem, how do you build a Spice Girls routine when music licensing laws stop you from using the original tracks? This is when the true genius comes in: they couldn’t sing along to the Spice Girls, so they simply became them instead.
The Spice Queens are the embodiment of the Girl Power movement that told young women everywhere in the 90s that YOU mattered. You could be sporty, girly, fierce, chic… it didn’t matter what you wore or that you looked different from your friends, it mattered what you felt and your girlfriends mattered too. Your friends are meant to be there to build you up, to support you and be loyal to you, and what could be more cheerleading than that?
When you watch the routine, you’re not seeing 24 athletes taking the floor determined to hit a zero; you see 24 Spice Queens living their best life on the blue floor no matter what; it’s a true thematic masterpiece. The routine starts like any other routine, but as that 2:30 goes on it allows different individuals to be highlighted. And it’s not just a last pass, or a point flyer, it’s showcasing the different girls that it takes to make up a cheer team and celebrates their uniqueness. It takes all types to make a cheer teamwork whether it’s level 1 or level 5; you need different body types, attitudes, and skills. But all athletes on that blue floor are necessary, they are all important, they all matter.
The message is one we ALL need to hear: our differences are what makes a team stronger and celebrating what sets us apart truly brings us closer together. Every girl is strong in her own way. Every girl has beauty. Every girl is powerful. Every girl is integral to that 2:30. That feeling is what makes a team your family.
The Ice Queens became Spice Queens to remind us how important every athlete is to our sport. To embrace our difference, to love our friends and believe in your team.
Photo Credits: JL Photography and Jerry Hughes Photography
You. Do. Not. Want. To. Miss. This. You know the Ice Queens, now witness the SPICE QUEENS.
The Vancouver Allstars IO5 team are taking the stage this year to showcase what they believe we need more of: Girl Power.
In the summer, trying to find a theme for the season that would inspire this fairly new group of girls to feel consistently driven and confident on the long road to Worlds, one of the coaches remembered the iconic British pop group, the SPICE GIRLS! Five unique women coming together to build friendships and encourage young women to be comfortable with who they are. What could be more perfect?!
Of the 24 girls on the team, only three were almost old enough to remember these Brit icons… so, how do you build a theme based on something these athletes had never experienced?
Turns out, that’s the fun part. Every Saturday, the team had Spicy Saturday, a time to bring in some new Spice Girl knowledge and share it with each other. They bonded over the fierceness of Scary Spice, the attitude of Sporty Spice and the chic of Posh. Their wardrobes outside the gym changed as they identified with one Spice over another. And then they built a themed routine like no other.
I’m sure you’ve noticed the problem, how do you build a Spice Girls routine when music licensing laws stop you from using the original tracks? This is when the true genius comes in: they couldn’t sing along to the Spice Girls, so they simply became them instead.
The Spice Queens are the embodiment of the Girl Power movement that told young women everywhere in the 90s that YOU mattered. You could be sporty, girly, fierce, chic… it didn’t matter what you wore or that you looked different from your friends, it mattered what you felt and your girlfriends mattered too. Your friends are meant to be there to build you up, to support you and be loyal to you, and what could be more cheerleading than that?
When you watch the routine, you’re not seeing 24 athletes taking the floor determined to hit a zero; you see 24 Spice Queens living their best life on the blue floor no matter what; it’s a true thematic masterpiece. The routine starts like any other routine, but as that 2:30 goes on it allows different individuals to be highlighted. And it’s not just a last pass, or a point flyer, it’s showcasing the different girls that it takes to make up a cheer team and celebrates their uniqueness. It takes all types to make a cheer teamwork whether it’s level 1 or level 5; you need different body types, attitudes, and skills. But all athletes on that blue floor are necessary, they are all important, they all matter.
The message is one we ALL need to hear: our differences are what makes a team stronger and celebrating what sets us apart truly brings us closer together. Every girl is strong in her own way. Every girl has beauty. Every girl is powerful. Every girl is integral to that 2:30. That feeling is what makes a team your family.
The Ice Queens became Spice Queens to remind us how important every athlete is to our sport. To embrace our difference, to love our friends and believe in your team.
Slow down, live in the moment, and have fun with your girls!
—Danika Garrick, Scary Spice Queen.
—Danika Garrick, Scary Spice Queen.
Photo Credits: JL Photography and Jerry Hughes Photography
