What’s that spell? First place

Lindsay Sandham

The Newport Dance Cheer All-Stars took first place in their division

Sunday at the national King of the Bleachers cheer and dance

competition at UC Irvine Bren Events Center.

Coach Lisa Callahan started the Newport Beach organization four

years ago for children who are interested in cheerleading and who

also want to learn stunts, tumbling and dancing. But there are no

football or basketball teams involved; the teams work and practice

strictly for competitions.

This year, there is only one Newport Dance Cheer team and they’re

a winning team. The eight girls, ranging in age from nine to 13, won

their spot in Sunday’s competition after winning first place in their

division at the regional competition at Tesoro High School on Jan.

22.

The Newport team is considerably smaller than most of the teams

they competed against. Callahan, of Newport Beach, is the head coach

and said she gets a lot of help from her assistant coach, 20-year-old

Melia Harold and 19-year-old gymnastics coach Rachel Innis, both of

Newport Beach.

The eight team members are Nirvana Consoli, 12, of Costa Mesa;

Lindsey Gaitan, 12, of Costa Mesa; Natalie Goodman, 11, of Newport

Beach; Amanda Harvey, 9, of Santa Ana; Jayde Johnston, 12, of Costa

Mesa; Paulina Le, 12, of Fountain Valley; Brooke Nash, 9, of Newport

Beach; and Ellen O’Brien, 13, of Newport Beach.

“They’re fun girls. They have a lot of energy,” Callahan, who has

coached high school and college cheerleading, said. “They come

together as a team.”

The girls, wearing costumes of red, white and blue, did not appear

to be even a little bit nervous before they started their routine.

They snacked on cookies and candy just minutes before their

performance.

Callahan said she stresses the importance of having fun because

that is the most important thing. She said she thinks her team won

because they were enjoying themselves -- their good showmanship was

helpful too.

Maragaret Le, mother of 12-year-old Paulina, said she thinks a

smaller team is better because the girls get more attention from the

coaches and have the opportunity to learn more.

“We love Lisa [Callahan],” she said. “Everyone’s included. She

doesn’t leave anyone out.”

Callahan has a husband and three children of her own, so she

considers cutting back on coaching every year to make more time for

her family. She kept telling herself that this was the last year, a

decision that became more difficult after winning first place.

“It’s just one of those things I love to do,” she said. “I love

the girls.”

* LINDSAY SANDHAM

is the news assistant.

She can be reached at (714) 966-4625 or lindsay.sandham

@latimes.com.