The new facility opened on November 1 and replaces the squad’s former Enniskillen home at Lackaghboy Industrial Estate. Sarah Tierney, who runs the Jets explained that the change in premises is a response to interest in cheerleading in Fermanagh. At present 160 children from the ages of three to 18 are involved in classes in Enniskillen, while 40 kids take part in a Wednesday class at the Bawnacre Centre in Irvinestown.

 

“We just had an influx of numbers of people looking classes and we couldn’t facilitate them at our old Enniskillen facility due to the narrow width of the hall. So we were turning people away and we just decided we needed a bigger space. For our conditioning training, our circuit training we would need a bit more room.  Space wise we couldn’t take any more in. We had the ratio of coaches, but not the space and now we have. It’s a huge difference and is just a fantastic change for us.” 

 

Sarah is ably served by a group of volunteers, with seven coaches and three assistant coaches involved in classes, along with voluntary parents that would do administrative work. They have seen the organisation grow exponentially in two years from one weekly class held at St Fanchea’s College to classes five days a week at two locations and to squads competing at a national level. And since September the group now has its first male members, another significant milestone. “It’s crazy how things have grown. Every year there’s more and more interest and we even have boys now finally. We have only two boys in the six to eight year old class involved since September, but we’re hoping to get more.”