GRAYS Point cheerleader Megan Cooney led her team to the World University Cheerleading Championship in Florida recently and brought home two trophies.
Now, she is setting up her own squad in Sutherland Shire.
Ms Cooney launched Extreme Elite Cheer and Dance last year and plans to have a new squad ready for international competition in a few years.
Ms Cooney and her team recently represented the University of NSW in the US and came third for the pom routine and fourth in jazz.
"No one takes two routines to an overseas competition; it's too much work," Ms Cooney said.
"We thought to hell with that, we are there and we might as well do another one."
It was Ms Cooney's second overseas cheerleading competition, so she knew what to expect in the intensity of a US cheerleading competition.
"It is huge," she said.
"There are close to a thousand cheerleaders and teams with 16 girls, each with identical abdominal stomach definition."
"That's how hard they work and how seriously they take it all."
Ms Cooney has been dancing she was five and is studying education and dance at university.
She also has cheered for the West Tigers and Sydney 6s cheer squads.
"I love getting out there and performing and sweating it all out and coming off stage and pretty much collapsing," she said.
"I did contemporary dancing for so long but I missed the glitter you get to wear when you're cheering."
Extreme Elite Cheer and Dance is holding junior and senior classes.
Details: 0407 265 782.
