CAPITAL HEIGHTS, Md. — For the first time in its 54-year history, the Kettering Largo Mitchellville Boys & Girls Club’s cheerleading program has earned a paid bid to The Summit, an elite national competition hosted by Varsity Brand. KLM Fierce, the Senior 3 team, is now seeking community support to cover travel and lodging expenses for the event in Tampa, Florida, April 26 and 27.
The Summit is the highest level of competition for recreational cheerleading, giving teams a chance to earn a national ranking. For KLM Fierce, this achievement is groundbreaking. They surpass the preliminary round and go straight to the semifinals — a privilege granted only to paid bid recipients.
“This is the first time ever,” said Carl King, co-commissioner of the Kettering Largo Mitchellville (KLM) Boys & Girls Club and head coach of Fierce. “We do have a lot of talent in this area, but it just doesn’t get recognized because we’re not in an area that really gets recognized.”
The team achieved this milestone by winning first place and securing the only paid bid at the CHEERSPORT National All Star Championship in Atlanta, Georgia.
KLM Fierce consists of 22 athletes ages 12 to 18, who practice twice a week. The team focuses on perfecting their routine, which they began in September. Back-to-back aerials. Slow-motion pyramids. And this season, light sabers and Star Wars-themed bedazzled costumes.
“When you do the same thing and you just flip in, and you jump in, and it just gets boring,” King said. “But when you got a character, you kind of act out that character, so it’s pretty dope. It’s a whole production.”
Despite the excitement, the team faces a financial hurdle. The total cost for the trip is approximately $16,000. “We’ve been trying to do a lot of fundraisers,” King said, emphasizing the need for community support.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help cover the expenses. “Every donation, big or small, helps us on our journey to the top,” the page states.
The journey to The Summit is not just about competition; it’s about community. One cheerleader lost a family member, and King said she could have given up, but she didn’t. “The whole program really rallied around her to let her know that we got her,” King said. “That’s what we’re here for. That’s the main thing. Look out for each other, like family.”
King said the athletes have dreamed of competing at The Summit for years but haven’t had the means.
“So to the athletes, I know it will mean the absolute world for them because it’s something that they would normally watch or see other teams go to… now they can actually be a part of that,” he said. “They can actually be a part of the team that people now will be watching.”
The team departs for Tampa in April, where they will compete over two days. They aim to represent their gym and community with pride, King said.
“The ultimate goal definitely is to win,” King said, “but I just want to make sure that we get down there and have a good showing for our program and our community.”
Supporters can follow the team’s journey on their Instagram and TikTok pages, KLM Fierce, and contribute to their GoFundMe campaign to help them reach their goal.
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