LEXINGTON — Reilly Drane is headed to Orlando, Florida, but she’s not there to see Mickey.
The Lexington junior will compete in The Cheerleading Worlds competition with her Columbus-based team, “Extraordinary” (XO). XO is a medium coed Level 5 All Star Team through Step 1 Allstars.
Drane began cheerleading with XO last year. The team competes in roughly 10 to 12 events a season, with the goal of achieving a bid to the Worlds competition.
Three types of bids are available to compete at The Cheerleading Worlds. The most desirable and most difficult to get is a full-paid bid. Teams that receive these bids can compete at Worlds with all of the expenses paid. Full paid bids are awarded to only the highest scoring teams at the largest and most prestigious competitions throughout the season.
On Feb. 28, XO earned a full-paid bid to Worlds at the COA Midwest Nationals, which included 49 teams.
The Cheerleading Worlds will be held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports in the Walt Disney World Resort from April 23 through 25.
This event draws more than 9,000 cheer athletes to vie for world champion titles in senior and international club divisions and categories.
“The team is very excited,” said Veronna Drane, Reilly’s mother.
Veronna noted what an honor it is to compete at Worlds.
“They’re going to be going up against the best of the best,” she said.
She’s ecstatic for Reilly.
“We’re very proud of her,” she said. “She gets good grades, has a job in addition to cheerleading. She’s a good kid. I got very lucky.”
Reilly, 17, has been cheerleading since she was 10. For the past two years, she’s served as captain of the Lexington varsity cheerleading squad. She’s been a member of the team the last three years.
