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WAUCONDA – Location can mean everything in the business world.
When two local competitive cheerleading programs – one from Lindenhurst and one from Crystal Lake – decided to join forces earlier this year, the owners wanted to make a smooth transition for their athletes.
They decided to relocate to a new facility in a village where most athletes still would have easy access to the gym, and new members could join the expanded program list the company planned to offer.
That’s the story of Ultimate Athletics, a competitive cheer training center born from Ultimate Athletics in Lindenhurst and Cheer Fusion in Crystal Lake that will celebrate its grand opening in Wauconda on Sunday, May 2.
But a better location isn’t all UA will offer.
“What we plan on doing in Wauconda is not only are we offering cheerleading, we’re also offering power tumbling and trampoline, dance, martial arts, cross-fit training, as well as rehabilitation,” UA owner Craig El said.
The new line up of programming will make UA a one-stop shop for families, with programs for adults to take while their children are training, El said.
Plus, UA will offer a full deli, coffee bar and Wi-Fi for parents, while a homework area and tutoring program is being developed for athletes, El said.
The new programming is a good opportunity for the community, El said.
But ultimately, the decision to merge UA with Cheer Fusion will help the athletes already involved in the two cheer facilities, said Cheer Fusion owner Michelle Reisdorf.
“I think what we’re looking forward to is taking the state of Illinois to a new level,” Reisdorf said. “We’re behind where the teams in the south are, so again, we really feel that pooling together all of our talents will give us a competivive edge when we do compete in the south.”
The two programs already were making strides competitively, which they proved at the USASF Worlds competition in Orlando, Fla., April 24 and 25.
Just to make it to the international championship is an accomplishment, El said, and both programs sent teams to compete.
But El’s junior co-ed team also snatched up a third place finish, becoming the first competitive cheer team in the entire Midwest to medal at worlds, he said.
Merging the two programs really will set them apart from other Midwest gyms, he said.
UA will bring 225 athletes to the new 34,000-square-foot facility – which is double his Lindenhurst gym – while Cheer Fusion will add 150 athletes of its own, El said.
“[We’ll] create the biggest gym the state of Illinois has ever seen before, not only in size but in sheer participants,” El said. “By combining gyms, we’ll offer more levels [and] more teams, which will create a better training environment for the athlete.”
If you go ...
What: Grand opening for Ultimate Athletics
Where: 1210 Karl Court in Wauconda
When: Noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 2
Contact: 847-356-3200
Features: Ultimate Athletics staff will provide food, music and building tours; there will be martial arts demonstrations and trial classes (at 1 and 3 p.m.); and one family will win cheer or dance tuition for the 2010-11 season.
Want to try out?
To help athletes get ready for tryouts, free dance clinics will take place. Hip-hop will start at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 4; jazz will start at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 5; and pom-pon will start at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 6.
Tryouts for All-Star Cheer
• Monday, May 3: 5:30 to 7 p.m. ages 8 and younger; 7 to 8:30 p.m. ages 9 to 11
• Tuesday, May 4: 5:30 to 7 p.m. ages 12 to 14; 7 to 8:30 p.m. ages 15 and older
Tryouts for All-Star Dance
• Wednesday, May 12: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. for ages 11 and younger
• Thursday, May 13: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. for ages 12 and older