"That whole jump sequence was weak," barked coach Doug Lutz.

"I usually stay here until around 9 every night," said Cheyenne Swanson, one of the 22 girls ages 9 through 14 who make up the Elite Athletes Junior Cheerleading squad.

In a nation of more than 10,000 teams, this group from Springfield placed second among 140 finalists in the United States All-Star Federation Nationals. That qualified them for the Olympics of cheerleading, the World Championships, this month in Orlando.

"This junior team is the first from Missouri and we believe the first team ever to come out of the Midwest to make it to Worlds," said Lutz.

And it is a high-pressure competition.

"It's very nerve-wracking right before they call your name," Swanson said.

And they have only one chance to impress the judges.

"You do a two-and-a-half minute routine that encompasses jumps, stunts, tumbling and pyramids," said Lutz. "It's not the type of cheerleading you're used to seeing. It's a routine that's put on to showcase skills."

These Springfieldians have come a very long way.

"They came in here not able to do a cartwheel," Lutz said, "and now they're competing against the best teams in the world."

And maybe even beating those teams. Good luck to the Elite Jr. Team as they head to Orlando for the World Championships on April 24 and 25.