MONTREAL- Olivia Beaumont Pierre-Louis has been flying since switching from rhythmic gymnastics to cheerleading.
"It's like what I'm meant to do," says Beaumont Pierre-Louis, who didn't feel as strongly about her former sport.
"In gymnastics, I didn't really want to go to it even if I liked it. But here I always want to go. If I could I would do this for the rest of my life.
She's a mounter practicing at the North Shore Extreme Cheerleading Centre in Dorval. The judges, she says, scrutinize her as closely as fans.
"Since I'm the one going up that's who they watch," she says. "If I move my arm it's a deduction, if I fall it's a deduction, if I touch the floor it's an even bigger penalty so it's a lot of work."
Her coach says she inspires her teammates.
"She's going to try and push her teammates to work it," says her coach Francine Lewis. "Even though she's frustrated she's just going shake it off and you know 'let's go back guys, let's try it again.'"
"I think she spends half her life in the gym."
And indeed one teammate isn't shy to express her admiration.
"She's very competitive she's amazing in gymnastics, she has no fears," says Sabrina Singer, 13.
Beaumont Pierre-Louis also loves to help younger cheerleaders.
"I love it, I love kids, I love coaching them," she says. "I like seeing them improve I like seeing them have fun and enjoying themselves."
Her mom, Julie Beaumont, has to deal with the idea that her daughter's safety is in the hands of those catching her below.
"I like it but it's a bit scary cause it's quite a dangerous sport, so it's a little nerve racking at times, but I would never stop her, she loves it," she says.
