As winter and the holidays approach, what better place could there be to spend time than in the Sunshine State?

Well, the folks at the Universal Cheerleaders Association had the same idea, so one of the organization’s regional events on Dec. 14 will be taking place in Lakeland, Florida.

The 2024 UCA Florida Regional will take over the RP Funding Center, with school and recreational cheer teams sharing the spotlight, and all of the action will be broadcast live on Varsity TV!

Founded in 1974 to provide educational training for cheerleaders and grow cheerleading into a combination of athleticism, high energy, and entertainment, UCA now trains more than 180,000 cheerleaders every summer. 

There’s also a busy UCA schedule and a variety of competition locations that help add to the five decades of UCA tradition.

The Florida Regional is one of almost 50 regional events facilitated across the country each year by UCA, along with the annual UCA National High School Cheerleading Championship at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.

Enjoy complete coverage of the 2024 UCA Florida Regional, a one-day event, as school and recreational teams go head-to-head with their sights set on a coveted championship and potentially earning spots in the UCA National High School Cheerleading Championship in February 2025.

• Who: School & Recreational Cheer Teams
• When: Dec. 14, 2024 
• Where: RP Funding Center in Lakeland, Florida
• Watch: LIVE on Varsity TV
• Rebroadcast: Watch HERE

What To Know About The RP Funding Center

The RP Funding Center in Lakeland, Florida, is a gem of Central Florida, perhaps often overshadowed by the sandy beaches or glitzy venues of the area’s bigger cities, such as nearby Orlando.

The RP Funding Center features more than 100,000 square feet of versatile space and is familiar with hosting all kinds of events – meetings, conventions, expos, sporting events, concerts, trade shows, and more. Actually, the venue welcomes more than 500 events and over 500,000 visitors annually.

The facility has parking for more than 2,000 vehicles, two on-site hotels, an experienced staff, and proximity to airports and attractions for guests who build some extra time into their trips or find a break in the busy competition schedule. Tampa and Orlando are 35 and 55 miles away, respectively, for example. 

Learn more about the RP Funding Center: Directions & Parking | Lodging | Event Calendar

Things To Do In Lakeland, Florida

Lakeland is a delightful spot in Central Florida that offers a friendly small-town feel but is also close to some of the state’s better-known and iconic cities, such as Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando, Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and even Fort Lauderdale. 

As the name would imply, Lakeland features several lakes, great weather, and every reason to get outside and enjoy gardens, hiking, parks, and preserves – even the 260-acre Safari Wilderness Ranch. There also are museums, farms, fishing, golf, many sports teams and Legoland!

And since Lakeland is just 35 miles from Tampa and 55 miles from Orlando, taking time to enjoy the slow pace of the former, then some time at a theme park or two after a short drive to the latter, would make for an epic and well-rounded weekend.

Take a look at what Visit Florida has to say about Lakeland, and let the experts help make the most of the trip.

When it’s time to eat in Florida, don’t miss the great seafood, strawberries, key lime pie and so much more!

Need a car to get around Florida? Visit Avis!

How To Watch The 2024 UCA Florida Regional

The 2024 UCA Florida Regional will stream LIVE on Varsity TV.

The rebroadcast will stream on Varsity TV on a delay of 24 hours.

2024 UCA Florida Regional Results

Results for the 2024 UCA Florida Regional will be here.

2024 UCA Florida Regional Schedule

The schedule for the 2024 UCA Florida Regional can be found here.

Tune in to Varsity TV on Dec. 14 to watch all the action live from the 2024 UCA Florida Regional in Lakeland, Florida!

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