By Janice Lane Palko

Years ago being a cheerleader meant shouting some cute little chants, shaking colorful pom-poms and clapping and jumping.  Today, being a cheerleader means having the agility and strength of a gymnast, the grace and precision of a dancer and the endurance and discipline of a marathon runner. 

At All-American gym, home of the All-American Allstars cheerleaders and All-American Kats, the area’s premier competitive cheerleading and dance company, students develop athletic skills, strengthen their abilities, enrich their talents and learn to support and encourage their teammates.

Kathy Irvin, head coach and owner, is herself a shining example of how being a competitive cheerleader can make one a champion in the gym and outside of it.  Irvin started All-American four years ago, when she was a sophomore at Slippery Rock University.  “I’ve been an all-star cheerleader since I was in ninth grade, and I wanted to help others take their skills to the highest level possible, so I opened up my own gym,” Irvin said.

Irvin was a cheerleader at Shaler Area High School and at Slippery Rock.  While at Slippery Rock, she cheered for four years on the coed Slippery Rock team, which took second place in the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) College Nationals competition. 

Kathy has two personal national championship titles and many individual awards, including a 4th place individual national title. She was also awarded the Best Cheerleader in Pittsburgh for two years during high school. In addition to coaching at All-American, she also coaches the North Allegheny cheerleaders.

Also on staff are several other highly qualified and accomplished coaches.  Drew Wilburn, who is the cheer coach, was a cheerleader at Clarion University and has competed at the regional and national levels and has coached All-American to a national title. 

Katie Roberts has been cheering for 12 years in all-star, high school and college programs. She graduated from North Allegheny, where she was captain of the varsity squad.  Currently, she is attending Slippery Rock University, and Katie has earned five national titles personally and has brought home a 4th place at the NCA College Nationals while on the all-girl Slippery Rock Cheer team.  With just three years of coaching experience, Katie has earned three national championships with her teams at All-American.

Ashley Panaia has participated in school and all-star cheerleading for 12 years.  She graduated from Plum High School in 2002 and now attends Bella Capelli Academy for cosmetology.  She has coached nationally ranked all-star teams for the past five years and has earned over 10 National titles.

Maddie Mastic, the dance coach, has been dancing for over 12 years, and is experienced in all styles of dance, but Hip Hop is her forte. She has been on two national championship winning teams and has received more that five national titles. 

Located in Ross Twp. at 4499 Peoples Road, just minutes from I279, All-American gym and its stellar reputation attracts students from across the region—from Baldwin to Butler County.  Irving and her staff instruct 100 boys and girls from the ages of 5 through 18. 

“Honestly, anyone can open a gym,” Irvin said, “but some are not safe.  Our coaches are capable of spotting the athletes to ensure there are no injuries.”

Teams train in a well-equipped cheerleading gym, which includes a 42 X 52 foot cheer spring floor, trampolines, tumble trak and floor pads.  And All-American has a team suitable for all ages and all skill levels.  They even have a Parent Hip Hop team, so they can join in on the fun too! 

All-American teams compete locally and nationally and in a few short years of competition have captured an astonishing 16 national titles.  

The fee is $100 per month and that includes three hours of supervised practice and one hour of tumbling per week.  All-American aims to keep its prices as low as possible and makes fundraising opportunities available to help offset the cost.  They also offer private lessons.

Irvin and her coaches build a rapport with their students.  “We can immediately spot when students are not doing well in school or are getting involved in things they shouldn’t, because we come to know these girls so well,” Irvin said. 

But more than becoming an all-star athlete, All-American helps their cheerleaders to acquire character traits that will aid them their entire life.  “Being an All-American Allstar means keeping a schedule and being disciplined and reaching your greatest athletic potential,” Irvin said.

“I want boys and girls dreams to come true and to experience what it feels like to be a national champion like I have. To me it’s about making a difference in a child’s life,” Irvin said.

Tryouts will be held for children ages 5 through 18 on May 11 through 13 and tumbling classes will start this summer.  For more information on All-American Allstars gym and their cheer and dance teams, visit the Website at www.all-americanallstars.com, call 412-486-6484 or e-mail all-americankats@hotmail.com.

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