CL trio land Cal Baptist cheer stunt scholarships

BY Amanda Martilla

Canyon Lakers Callie Klaas, Emma Lewis and Mackenzie Reiser are entering their senior year of high school with recently-secured cheer stunt athletic scholarships to Cal Baptist University in Riverside. They are the first girls to sign to the CBU stunt team for the 2021-22 season.

Cal Baptist boasts the first ever Division I varsity stunt program, which is coached by Brandon Seagondollar. He has been watching these girls grow the past few years and knew that they would be a perfect fit for his program, said Canyon Lake’s Jeremy Thompson, who, with his wife Anna Thompson, owns Twist’n U, an elite cheer and stunt studio in Lake Elsinore.

Canyon Lake high school seniors, from left, Callie Klaas, Emma Lewis and Mackenzie Reiser sign their official National Letters of Intent to attend Cal Baptist University on stunt team scholarships after graduation next year. Pictured with them are Jeremy and Anna Thompson, owners of Twist’n U, the local gym the girls attend. Photo provided by Jeremy Thompson

In addition to being on the Temescal Canyon High School varsity cheer team, all three girls developed their skills at Twist’n U and University All-Stars. Callie has been attending that gym since she was four years old and all three girls are currently employed at Twist’n U.

“Callie, Emma and Mckenzie are all best friends and inseparable,” Jeremy said.

The Twist’n U staff has ties to Cal Baptist University. Jordan Lies is the Twist’n U cheer director after having been a national champion cheerleader from Cal Baptist. Jordan Arrington, another Cal Baptist national champion, also works at the gym.

“They are both so excited that these girls are going to follow in their footsteps and be a part of the CBU family,” Jeremy said. “We are so proud of their amazing accomplishments and are very proud to have been a part of their growth. We cannot wait to see what their future holds.”

Stunt is a competitive team sport specifically for college-level female athletes. It is a spring sport, beginning in February and ending in late April. Stunt teams have a maximum of 30 athletes.

Stunt teams play in a head-to-head game format, which means they will compete for much of the game side by side on the competition mat, so execution judges and spectators can easily assess skill levels. Officials will regulate games and award points to teams based on execution of predetermined skill sequences.