New Club STUNT launches at Salvation Army’s Ashland Kroc Center; registration open

The Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center in Ashland is flipping over the newest addition to its program line-up – Club STUNT for girls ages 8-14 years.

As one of the fastest-growing female sports in the U.S., the Ashland Kroc Center team is partnering with Ashland University alumni and former athletes Shila Shreve and Joy Downing to bring the sport to local girls.

As a new form of competitive cheerleading, STUNT is performed in a four-quarter format. Each quarter is a head-to-head game between two teams that execute skills-based routines in various categories − partner stunts, jumps and tumbling, pyramids and tosses, and team routines.

“STUNT is one of the fastest growing female sports in the country and was just given NCAA DII Emerging Sport for Women status as of January 2023,” said Major Annalise Francis, administrator/Corps officer for the Ashland Kroc Center. “Club STUNT meets the strict Title IX requirements of a sport, and is a great way to build healthy, strong, and confident athletes. We are excited to bring this sport to girls of Ashland County and surrounding communities.”

All girls are welcome to join Club STUNT at the center, 527 E. Liberty St., whether they have experience in cheer, dance or gymnastics or none at all. The center will have two teams − one for ages 8-11 and another for ages 11-14. Sessions will take place Tuesday evenings Sept. 10-Dec. 3. Athletes will learn the basics of STUNT technique and safety. Competitions will begin in the spring.

Registration for the Club STUNT closes Sept. 6.

As an athletic program of the Ashland Kroc Center, there is a fee for youth participants. The cost for members of the Kroc Center is $175 and the non-member fee is $250 and can be paid in two installments. Financial assistance or scholarships are available.

Sponsorship opportunities for Club STUNT are available. If a local business or service organization is interested in partnering with the Ashland Kroc Center in the launch of Club STUNT, reach out to Dan Lawson, director of community relations and development for the Ashland Kroc Center, at 419-281-8001.

This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: New Club STUNT launches at Salvation Army’s Ashland Kroc Center; registration open