The Ann Arbor Sports Commission, in association with Concordia University Ann Arbor, will serve as the host for the 2021 and 2022 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Competitive Cheer and Dance National Championships. The championship events will be held at the Eastern Michigan University Convocation Center.
The yearly event will feature the top 12 competitive cheer and 12 competitive dance squads from around the United States, and preliminary and final performances will occur over the two-day event. The event is expected to boast 450 participants among 24 teams, and a crowd of 2,000 spectators is anticipated. This is the first time the NAIA Competitive Cheer and Dance National Championships have been held in Michigan.
"The Ann Arbor Sports Commission, along with Concordia University Ann Arbor, are truly honored to be selected as the host of the 2021 and 2022 NAIA Competitive Cheer and Dance National Championships," said Mike Malach, Executive Director of the Ann Arbor Sports Commission at Destination Ann Arbor. "Our community is primed to host and support an event of this scale. Additionally, we want to say thank you to Eastern Michigan University Convocation Center which will serve as the host facility. Our goal will be to host a first-rate event and world-class experience for all the coaches and student-athletes involved in the Championship. Thank you to the NAIA staff and selection committee for awarding this championship to Washtenaw County.
The Ann Arbor Sports Commission was founded in 2016 under the umbrella of Destination Ann Arbor. The Commission's main goal is to improve the quality of life for everyone in Washtenaw County through sports.