A grassroots sports academy from Ashton-under-Lyne is celebrating international success after returning from the European Championships in Portugal with two European titles.
MCR Dance & Cheer Academy took a team of 80 young people aged between five and 17 to represent England at the prestigious competition last weekend, competing against some of the continent’s best athletes and delivering some of the academy’s strongest results to date.
The team, made up of children and young people from across Tameside and Greater Manchester, returned home with two European Championship titles, marking a significant milestone for the rapidly growing community club.
Founded just four years ago by Miah Maddock-Hodgins when she was 18 years old, MCR Dance & Cheer Academy has developed from a small local venture into a thriving organisation supporting hundreds of young people through dance, cheerleading, SEND provision and community programmes.
The academy’s latest achievement places local athletes on the European stage and highlights the growing strength of grassroots sport in the region.
While the medals represent an outstanding sporting accomplishment, academy leaders say the real success story lies in the opportunities the club has created for young people across Greater Manchester.
Many of the athletes who travelled to Portugal have developed through the academy’s community programmes, with the club providing a pathway for children and young people to build confidence, develop skills and compete at the highest levels of their sport.
The journey to the European Championships was made possible through months of training, fundraising and support from families and the wider community, helping ensure local young people could experience international competition and represent their country.
The Portugal trip marks another chapter in the academy’s remarkable growth story, demonstrating how a community-based club can create life-changing opportunities for young people in a relatively short period of time.
As celebrations continue following their return home, the academy hopes its success will inspire even more young people across Tameside to get involved in sport, dance and cheerleading.