Cheerleading is the world’s fastest growing sport, with over 4,000,000 registered athletes in more than 103 countries. The feature-length documentary "The Cheer Ambassadors" chronicles the unexpected success of a Thai university cheerleading team that morphs from a lackadaisical bunch of urban and rural Thai university students into silver medalists at the 2009 and 2011 International Cheer Union (ICU) World Cheerleading Championships in Orlando, Florida.
The story focuses mainly on the coach, five key teammates, the team’s spiritual advisor and several assistant coaches. Team members represent all strata of Thai society and the film illustrates how deep bonds of friendship and team spirit transcend normally rigid social hierarchies.
Despite minimal funding and rudimentary facilities, the coach’s dream of competing internationally spurs the team on. After winning ten Thai national championships between 1996-2008, they enter the 2009 ICU competition.
Two months before leaving, the coach puts the team on US time to avoid jet lag on arrival. Fun-loving Thais don’t like nonstop pressure, but after the stressed-out coach collapses, they rise to the occasion.
In Orlando, a perfectly synchronized and spirited dress rehearsal performance catapults the Thais from virtual nobodies to being the team to watch. Their infectious enthusiasm during the finals has the entire audience on its feet screaming “Thailand! Thailand!” Overjoyed to be among the three finalists, they await the judges’ decision holding a picture of their revered king and a stuffed animal mascot.
The Cheer Ambassadors is a universal story of passion, persistence and inspiration.
