KSHB 41 reporter Rachel Henderson covers neighborhoods in Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties. Share your story idea with Rachel.
—
A competitive cheerleading team in Leavenworth is proving that big dreams can come from small towns.
The First City All-Stars Pink Divas continue to rack up championships and travel across the country to compete, despite operating with limited resources compared to larger programs.
Coached by Tandra Redfern-Howard, the team fills a gap in the local sports landscape, where competitive cheer was previously unavailable.
"There is no competitive cheer team in Leavenworth or really in this localized area," Redfern-Howard said. "It was giving an opportunity to the community to get girls involved in something and to do something that normally a lot of these families wouldn't be able to afford otherwise.”
The Pink Divas face unique challenges, practicing just two hours twice a week in a rented space at the Leavenworth Local Hotel.
Despite these constraints, they've achieved remarkable success with back-to-back first-place wins and have earned two bids for national competitions this year.
However, the team's future competitions depend on securing adequate funding and support.
What started as a dream has grown into a family of 23 cheerleaders, though that number remains flexible as the team continues to welcome new members.
The growth has been rapid since Redfern-Howard took over in January last season.
"I had 14 last season, we doubled in size," Redfern-Howard said. "I have five kids of my own and then 23 kids for cheer."
Her personal background in foster care has shaped her approach to building the team community.
She and her family are originally from Olathe but gladly call Leavenworth home now.
"I fostered for five years," Redfern-Howard said. "I've created a little family. I've built my own little family up here, and it's special."
The athletes and parents consistently describe the team as more than just a sport; it's become a tight-knit community that supports each other through challenges.
“It’s a family," said parent Elia Perez-Wilson, who has a daughter on the team. "They're like sisters."
Ashliegh Baker, another team parent, weighed in on the team’s unique journey.
"We've been through a lot,” Baker said. “We've had girls come and go, we've had situations that are out of our control, and we just kind of rise above it.”
The family atmosphere extends beyond the cheerleaders themselves.
Parents have fully embraced the Pink Divas spirit, with some going to creative lengths to show their support.
"If you look at any of the dads, they're willing to show out; it's a hot mess," Baker said.
Baker, who has two daughters on the team and cheered when she was younger, emphasized the trust that has developed within the community.
"I honestly don't know that I've had a group of women or even parents that I could just trust my kids with, and that's huge," Baker said.
Perez-Wilson praised the team's work ethic and determination to represent their community on a larger stage, especially given their resource limitations compared to bigger gyms.
"They're just hardworking girls that want to show off that little old Leavenworth can compete with big cities," Perez-Wilson said. "These girls work hard."
The transformation of the athletes has been just as rapid.
"It’s always been my dream to do cheer," one of the girls said.
Many arrived with limited gymnastics experience but have developed impressive skills through dedication and training.
"It's not just about winning for this team,” Baker said. “They have defeated odds; 90% of the girls couldn't do a backbend when we started this," Baker said.
Despite being in only their second year under current leadership, the Pink Divas have already collected multiple awards and championship titles.
They placed first at every competition they attended this season and achieved 12th place nationally in Orlando.
"I like that I get to make new friends and that I get to travel," one of the girls said.
The team's success has opened doors to travel opportunities that many of the athletes had never experienced before.
"A lot of these girls had never been on an airplane, they'd never been really out of the state, and so that was a huge opportunity," Redfern-Howard said.
This season, the team has its sights set on an even more ambitious destination for the Super Nationals competition in Lake Tahoe.
The team will travel there in April for the competition.
They are currently raising money through a GoFundMe, as well as other fundraising efforts like bake sales.
"I'm excited. I've never been to the West Coast,” Perez-Wilson said. “I’m from the East.”
The team's accessibility is a key part of its mission. Redfern-Howard and her coaches volunteer their time to keep costs manageable for families.
"Me and my coaches all volunteer," Redfern-Howard said. "We're able to do everything at cost for the girls, so that way these girls can do something that they wouldn't be able to do otherwise."
She takes pride in creating all the team's routines herself.
"I choreograph all of our own routines," Redfern-Howard said. "I found out I absolutely love it."
The team welcomes athletes from kindergarten through high school and embraces diversity within its ranks.
"There is a diverse group,” Perez-Wilson said. “We have some that aren't as fortunate as others, financially.”
While the team enjoys traveling for competitions, members also have goals closer to home.
The Pink Divas are working toward securing their own dedicated practice space beyond their current rental arrangement, with the hopes of having multiple teams to meet the growing demand.
"That's my dream, is for my own gym,” Redfern-Howard said.
For parents like Baker, the team represents an opportunity to build confidence in young athletes.
"I'm trying to build confident girls and confident daughters, and I'm with a team that's trying to do the exact same thing," Baker said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
—
