Special needs cheer team earns trip of a lifetime
Zeta competing at worlds; Royalton boy’s service dog first ever to perform
Harrison Chmura, 7, and his BFF Cyclone will compete at the cheerleading worlds at Disney World with the special needs cheer team Zeta based out of Cheer World in Brecksville. Submitted photo
BRECKSVILLE – One group of kids has earned the trip of a lifetime … for the second time with a routine that’s sure to wag a few tails.
An outing to Disney World would make any child’s dream come true, but this isn’t just any ol’ visit to Disney.
Zeta Cheer Squad, based out of Cheer World in Brecksville, is a special needs cheer team that has been invited to compete in the Cheerleading Worlds in Florida through USASF on April 29-May 1.
An invite to this magical stage is a prestigious honor that hasn’t been lost on the 13 youngsters who range in age from 7-22.
“Harrison has been carrying around a picture of Mickey. He thinks he’s going tomorrow,” Tera Chmura, his mother, smiled.
Harrison, 7, and his best friend Cyclone are the youngest members of the team. In fact, the pair will make history when they take to the world’s stage, for it will be the first time a four-legged, furry member has competed on a team.
Harrison was born with Down Syndrome and was later diagnosed with autism.
The North Royalton Post followed the Chmura family’s journey to raise funds for a service dog for Harrison three years ago. A business stepped in and provided the necessary funding a full year ahead of schedule for the Chmuras.
Cyclone, a specially trained golden retriever, joined the family and then the cheer team, and his presence has been life changing.
Before Cyclone, when Harrison first began performing with Zeta, he would experience sensory overload at meets from all the shouting, cheering and clapping. But when Cyclone joined him on the floor, Harrison was a different kid. All any parent wants is for their child to find something they love and excel at. Tera said it’s been a joy to watch Harrison bloom with Cyclone by his side.
“He enjoys it now. He’s happy,” Tera said. “He still gets nervous, but the dog calms him. Harrison jumps up, runs up there with a smile on his face. I’m so happy to see him be able to enjoy his extracurricular and be excited. Cyclone has done some awesome things for Harrison.”
But this isn’t the team’s first Disney trip. They were invited to worlds in 2015 and gained national attention in the cheer world with their routine and performance in front of a massive crowd.
“For cheerleading, worlds is the top thing. Everyone in Orlando treats you like a king. The first time we went, there were 5,000 people giving us a standing ovation and tears were rolling down everyone’s cheeks,” Tracy Drowns, Zeta’s head coach, said.
They have stayed together as a group and still reminisce about the experience. But, only half the team was able to go last time due in part to a lack of funding. They are asking for assistance in reaching their goal of $12,000 so the entire team can experience this together this time. So far, they have raised about $1,600 through a Gofundme page set up at gofundme.com/zetacheer.
This isn’t your average cheer team.
Zeta routines are jam-packed with major moves. Many of the teammates have also worked with Drowns in her gymnastics program at Gymnastics World in Broadview Heights and those skills are incorporated into the routines. Drowns, a North Royalton resident, was Special Olympics coach of the year in 2016.
“Some of them do roundoffs, some do cartwheels, others can do back handsprings,” Tera said.
Typically this is an exhibition team but at worlds, they will be judged, but none of that matters to the team. Just making it to worlds is the reward.
“All the kids are so excited to go. Even the ones who went before, they still talk about how awesome it was and are excited to be able to share it with more of the team. You just want the kids to have fun. Parents are just happy to see them enjoy themselves,” Tera said.
Harrison’s father John is a volunteer coach and Cyclone’s on-stage handler.
He too is blown away by the team, his son and how far they have come.
“It’s just amazing to see how far all the kids have come, this is just a great group of kids,” he said. “And seeing Harrison interact with the other kids is huge. To have him go up and initiate interaction is more than we could have ever wished for. When you get an autism diagnosis, you don’t know, but you brace yourself for the fact that your child might not develop personal relationships. But to see it happen, I can’t put words to it.”
An outing to Disney World would make any child’s dream come true, but this isn’t just any ol’ visit to Disney.
Zeta Cheer Squad, based out of Cheer World in Brecksville, is a special needs cheer team that has been invited to compete in the Cheerleading Worlds in Florida through USASF on April 29-May 1.
An invite to this magical stage is a prestigious honor that hasn’t been lost on the 13 youngsters who range in age from 7-22.
“Harrison has been carrying around a picture of Mickey. He thinks he’s going tomorrow,” Tera Chmura, his mother, smiled.
Harrison, 7, and his best friend Cyclone are the youngest members of the team. In fact, the pair will make history when they take to the world’s stage, for it will be the first time a four-legged, furry member has competed on a team.
Harrison was born with Down Syndrome and was later diagnosed with autism.
The North Royalton Post followed the Chmura family’s journey to raise funds for a service dog for Harrison three years ago. A business stepped in and provided the necessary funding a full year ahead of schedule for the Chmuras.
Cyclone, a specially trained golden retriever, joined the family and then the cheer team, and his presence has been life changing.
Before Cyclone, when Harrison first began performing with Zeta, he would experience sensory overload at meets from all the shouting, cheering and clapping. But when Cyclone joined him on the floor, Harrison was a different kid. All any parent wants is for their child to find something they love and excel at. Tera said it’s been a joy to watch Harrison bloom with Cyclone by his side.
“He enjoys it now. He’s happy,” Tera said. “He still gets nervous, but the dog calms him. Harrison jumps up, runs up there with a smile on his face. I’m so happy to see him be able to enjoy his extracurricular and be excited. Cyclone has done some awesome things for Harrison.”
But this isn’t the team’s first Disney trip. They were invited to worlds in 2015 and gained national attention in the cheer world with their routine and performance in front of a massive crowd.
“For cheerleading, worlds is the top thing. Everyone in Orlando treats you like a king. The first time we went, there were 5,000 people giving us a standing ovation and tears were rolling down everyone’s cheeks,” Tracy Drowns, Zeta’s head coach, said.
They have stayed together as a group and still reminisce about the experience. But, only half the team was able to go last time due in part to a lack of funding. They are asking for assistance in reaching their goal of $12,000 so the entire team can experience this together this time. So far, they have raised about $1,600 through a Gofundme page set up at gofundme.com/zetacheer.
This isn’t your average cheer team.
Zeta routines are jam-packed with major moves. Many of the teammates have also worked with Drowns in her gymnastics program at Gymnastics World in Broadview Heights and those skills are incorporated into the routines. Drowns, a North Royalton resident, was Special Olympics coach of the year in 2016.
“Some of them do roundoffs, some do cartwheels, others can do back handsprings,” Tera said.
Typically this is an exhibition team but at worlds, they will be judged, but none of that matters to the team. Just making it to worlds is the reward.
“All the kids are so excited to go. Even the ones who went before, they still talk about how awesome it was and are excited to be able to share it with more of the team. You just want the kids to have fun. Parents are just happy to see them enjoy themselves,” Tera said.
Harrison’s father John is a volunteer coach and Cyclone’s on-stage handler.
He too is blown away by the team, his son and how far they have come.
“It’s just amazing to see how far all the kids have come, this is just a great group of kids,” he said. “And seeing Harrison interact with the other kids is huge. To have him go up and initiate interaction is more than we could have ever wished for. When you get an autism diagnosis, you don’t know, but you brace yourself for the fact that your child might not develop personal relationships. But to see it happen, I can’t put words to it.”