Altas Perps Squad goes for 9th cheerleading title

MANILA, Philippines - Perpetual Help puts its stunts and routines in display again today as it shoots for a sixth straight and a record ninth crown in the 90th NCAA cheerleading competition before another full-house crowd at the MOA Arena in Pasay City.

Fresh from their runner-up finish in the National Cheerleading Championship, the Altas Perps are raring to perform another new set of aerial tricks tipped to spice up the action in the annual event they have dominated the last five years.

Perpetual has actually won eight of the last 10 titles since the event was included in the league’s sports calendar 11 seasons back.

“We’ve been training since last year and we’re optimistic of our chances of winning it again this year,” said Perpetual Help coach Randolph Rosario.

“We don’t want to settle on old routines and stunts so we always make it a point to be different and make it more difficult to challenge ourselves year after year,” said Rosario.

Perpetual Help’s Anthony Tamayo, for his part, said the whole Perpetual Help community is throwing its all-out support again to the Perps.

“In behalf of the school, we wish our cheerleading team luck and we want them to know that we’re proud of what they’ve done,” he said.

Their rivals, however, have vowed to end their reign.

The Arellano University Dancing Cheers, in fact, have toughened up as they gun for their first ever cheerleading title after finishing second the last two seasons.

“We will try, that’s for sure,” said Arellano’s Peter Cayco.

The Mapua Cheerping Cardinals, last year’s third placers and the inaugural winner of the event, along with the Lyceum and Jose Rizal Pep Squads, last year’s fourth and fifth placers, respectively, are also itching to show their wares and steal the spotlight this time.

Aside from Perpetual Help and Mapua, the only other school to win the event was Jose Rizal in 2008.

“The cheerleading competition is a fitting ending to what has been a successful and massive year for the NCAA,” said NCAA Management Committee chair Paul Supan of host Jose Rizal.