Three cheers for 6 cheerleading teams from Western Pa.

Six cheerleading teams from Western Pennsylvania have qualified to travel to an international competition in the spring in Orlando, where they'll be judged on stunts such as pyramids and basket tosses.

“Pittsburgh is right up there with some of the best teams in the nation,” said Tara Patton Harris, vice president of sales for The JAM Brands, which sponsored the JAMfest Cheer Super Nationals last month in Indianapolis.

In past years, a few teams from the city have finished in the top 10 at The Cheerleading Worlds competition, she said. This year's Worlds event runs from April 26-28 in Orlando, and it's a first for five local teams to qualify for the top-level competition at the same meet, local cheerleading officials said.

HotCheer All Stars HOT5 of Elizabeth qualified for Worlds in the Level 5, Small Senior Cheer category, and Fire and Ice 5 Alarm from gyms in West Mifflin and Allison Park qualified in the Level 5 Medium Senior Cheer area. They competed against girls ages 12 to 19 at JAMfest.

With their wins, team members will receive $650 for registration and travel to Worlds, known as a full-paid bid, Harris said. FCA Gems-Diamonds of Sarver, Butler County, received a full-paid bid as runner-up in Level 5 Medium Senior Cheer.

FCA Gems-Onyx, which placed first in Level 5 International Open Cheer, and Rain Athletics-Steel City of McKeesport, sixth in Level 5 Small Senior Cheer, received at-large bids for JAMfest that carry no monetary stipend.

At Worlds, more than 400 teams from around the globe will be judged on two-and-a-half minute routines set to music and containing a variety of stunts.

Rain Athletics, which opened in June, was happy to have a team qualify, co-owner Jacob Parker said.

Cheerleaders have begun preparing for the championships. Focusing on better nutrition, Leechburg resident Tori McGuire, 16, of FCA Gems-Onyx is watching what she eats.

“You have to be physically strong so you can be mentally strong to execute your routine,” McGuire said.

Danielle Turley, 19, of Pleasant Hills is on the Fire and Ice 5 Alarm team and said she becomes more serious as the meet approaches.

Madison Richey, 15, of Butler is on the FCA Gems-Diamonds team and looks forward to watching other teams perform. “It's very interesting,” said Richey, who competed at Worlds in 2012 as a member of the same gym.

Music makes routines distinct, said Amy Clark, executive director of membership for the U.S. All Star Federation, which sponsors the championships.

Another local team, Pittsburgh Superstars Supermodels of Cranberry, secured a spot at Worlds, taking first place in a Level 5 Small Senior competition at the Universal Spirit: Spirit of Hope National Championship in North Carolina.

The team, which received a partial bid worth $325 to each member, is competing at meets where full-paid bids are awarded, Pittsburgh Superstars owner Aimee Nicewarner said.

“Our difficult and well-executed routine with zero deductions made us stand out,” said Nicewarner, noting the gym has been represented at Worlds every year since 2007.

Karen Kadilak is a freelance writer.