Question from Westchester Jewish Center:

How did you get into Cheerleading?

Answer from Joachim:

Hi

My cheer coach Denise Olewnik is a pediatric occupational therapist.  She owns an all star cheerleading gym in PA.  Her passion was to create a special needs cheer team.

Six years ago she asked me and few other special needs children who were getting therapy from her whether we would give it a try to join her gym and we did. We formed our team and we are known as Team Fire in the cheer world.

I was reluctant initially since I have a hard time walking and running.  But my personality fitted my cheerleading well. My mom encouraged me to cheer. I love it. I love my coaches. I have amazing people who love me unconditionally.

We became the World Champions in the first and second year of cheering in the competitive series. I brought home trophies. It made me to feel I belong to a team and I can also be a champion and bring home trophies. I get to travel all over USA.

I have several national champion titles, and world champion titles. My team was on local newspapers, cheer magazines, local radio and TV many times.

So I have decided to cheer as long as I can. Cheerleading also gave me the interest to take photos and videos and I want to become a photographer when I grow up.