An Empire of Strength

There's a group of kids between the ages of 8 and 15. They come from six schools and practice twice a week. They memorize cheers and listen to their coach while building friendships that will last a lifetime. Now, know that they are disabled. While this may not be the typical picture of a local team, the Empire Elite Special Needs Cheer Squad offers these kids, and their parents, the cheer experience along with so much more. "For the parents, it's a social time; you don't get a lot of that when you have a special needs child,'' said parent Tammy Jensen. "The parents are able to sit and watch while talking to other parents about stuff they're going through. For the kids, it's a social time as well as a learning time; they develop different skills. Memorizing a two and a half minute routine is big for some of these kids. It's hard and it's difficult for them to do. So, it is a huge accomplishment. It brings them satisfaction that they don't get in the real world with other kids." Jensen, who is varsity cheer coach at Putnam City West, has a daughter on the Elite squad. Hannah Jensen, age 9, will join the rest of her squad at the NCA Nationals February 15-17 in Dallas. While it is an open competition, the anticipation is still high as the squad prepares their routine. "The kids were all ecstatic, most of them have never had a chance to be in a competitive sport and this is one they can compete in, other than Special Olympics," said David Owens, owner of Empire Elite. Owens started Empire Elite back in 2004 and began the special needs squad one year ago when prompted by a friend. "I've been a cheerleader for the past 11 years and now I coach cheerleading. This was something that was brought up to me by a parent who had a son with special needs, so we started the squad," Owens said. The team has remained steady since its beginning in 2007, allowing the kids to work together toward their goal of competing in Dallas. "They gain a lot of self confidence while practicing,'' Owens said. "They also get to work on motor skills. These are kids with various diagnoses and this serves as a different form of physical therapy and is also something that makes them feel good." This alternative therapy allows the kids, with disabilities ranging from Downs Syndrome, physical disabilities, mental development, etc., to improve motor skills and physical strength. Practices also allow for the learning of spatial awareness, which is developed through the teaching of routines. But for Owens, its more than just teaching; he takes as much from the kids as he invests. "Coaching this squad has been great. It makes me feel better about who I am and what's going on in this world," he said. "These kids come in and just brighten your day."