11 years ago I walked into Cheer Extreme Raleigh with my daughter Caroline who was 12 years old. She had been cheering at another local gym for 2 years previously before that was on the Pop Warner Circuit but the current gym could no longer meet her needs. Her skills were advancing and even though we were happy at the other gym my husband and I knew Caroline needed a bigger gym that could not only meet her current needs but advance her to the next level. So fast forward when my youngest daughter, Layla, was ready to cheer at the age of 5 we knew exactly where we would place her…. Cheer Extreme! That year I had a Senior on a Worlds team and one on a Tiny team. Over my 11 years at CEA I have seen this staff work with kids from the ages of 5 to 19 on every possible level through every possible team and wouldn’t want my daughters anywhere else but CEA. The staff is very hands on in their instructions. The owner Kelly Helton takes time to get to know each athlete and their own unique style of learning. She learns to tap into their individual needs through positive reinforcement, games, team building and mentoring her athletes. She will encourage them to reach their own personal goals and when they are ready to take flight into their next chapter Kelly will write letters of recommendations and help them in any way she can. She hopes once you step through the CEA doors you become part of her cheer family. I would recommend (and have recommended) CEA Raleigh to anyone that is interested in competitive cheer it is simply the best program not only in our area but in the country.