You may have heard that Varsity brands recently announced the teams that have been invited to compete in the 2022 Majors invitational cheerleading tournament in Indianapolis, Indiana on January 14th. This elite competition is an opportunity for some of the best teams in the nation to compete head to head. Only a few of the most accomplished teams are invited to perform, and for many, this is a precursor for the 2022 Cheerleading World Championships. So what are the Majors, how are teams selected, and how can you follow the action?
What Are the Majors?
Begun in 2012, the Varsity Brand Cheerleading Majors is a very exclusive cheerleading competition. It is hosted once each year and is only open to teams competing in the Senior Level 6 division. Officials at Varsity watch the performances of teams at the major competitions of both this year and the previous year to determine the most elite cheerleading squads in the nation. Once those teams are selected they are invited to compete at this small but important cheerleading contest. Only 22 teams are selected each year, and each team on this year’s roster is a potential favorite to be a level 6 World Champion. While the staff at Varsity watch performances from teams from all over the country, a squad can win an automatic bid into the Majors with a performance at JAMfest Cheer Super Nationals. The competition allows the dominant teams in their respective divisions to showcase their talent on the national stage in a small, intimate environment unlike any other cheerleading competition in the world!
Last Year’s Winners
Last year was a difficult year for many of the teams that continued to compete nationally despite the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, many of the competitions were held virtually, and those that were held in person had significant changes to their format and rules to prevent the widespread proliferation of the disease. Despite these challenges, several teams were represented at last year’s Majors, showing the world why they are the best of the best! Here are the 2020 Major’s Champions:
Small All-Girl: Cheer Extreme
Medium All-Girl: Woodlands Elite
Large All-Girl: Cheer Extreme
Small Coed: Brandon All-Stars
Medium Coed: Prodigy All Stars
Large Coed: Top Gun
This Year’s Teams
Allstar cheerleading has made a huge comeback this year, with many teams competing at or above their 2019 levels. To recognize this Varsity Brands has chosen to highlight 22 of the best teams from across the United States, and invited them to compete at the Majors. Here are this year’s participants:
Senior Large: Cheer Athletics Panthers; Cheer Extreme Senior Elite; The Stingray Allstars Orange
Senior Large Coed: Cheer Athletics Cheetahs; The Stingray Allstars Steel
Senior Medium: The Stingray Allstars Peach; Woodlands Elite Generals;
Senior Medium Coed: Prodigy Allstars Midnight; Woodlands Elite Black Ops; The California All Stars Black Ops
Senior Small: Cheer Extreme SSX; Rain Athletics Aqua; The California All Stars Lady Bullets
Senior Small Coed: ACE Cheer Company Warriors: Brandon All Stars Senior Black
Senior Extra Small: Cheer Central Suns Lady Suns; South Coast Cheer Fearless; Twist & Shout Obsession; The California All Stars Vixens
Senior Extra Small Coed: CJA Team Gunz; Twist & Shout Diamonds; GymTyme Illinois Fever
Exhibition: Cheer Extreme Coed Elite; Cheer Extreme Smoex; Cheersport Great White Sharks
How to watch
The 2022 MAJORS will be hosted in Indianapolis, Indiana on January 14th. Tickets for the live event can be purchased from this link. The competition will also be broadcast live on Varsity TV. Whether you see the action face-to-face or on Varsity TV, get ready for an exhibition of the most amazing teams with some of the most epic cheerleading mixes in the world! For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the competition on Twitter: @MAJORScheer.