CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) – It’s a national championship for the Atomic ICONZ Middle School Step Team! The co-ed team is based in Chesapeake, but is made up of students from throughout Hampton Roads.
In May, they traveled to New Jersey to go up against teams from California, Texas, Florida, and more!
“Nationals was very chaotic, but when we won, it was one of the best days of my life. As soon as they called Atomic ICONZ, I started screaming at the top of my lungs. I was so happy. All three years of hard work, blood, sweat, and tears finally paid off,” said 14-year-old Sean Gregory.
Everyone on the team says they work hard to make sure they are in sync and their steps are precise.
“Practices are very rough, but once you keep practicing it, it just gets better and you get used to it. You get to do stuff that you never knew you could do,” said 13-year-old Teyana Taylor.
While these competitors are thrilled their hard work paid off, they say ICONZ is so much more than competing. It’s truly a life-changing family.
“I love all the boys and girls. They just click with me, be there for me when I’m down, there for me when I’m happy. They just support me and love me,” said Gregory.
Those words are exactly what ICONZ founder and coach, Shawn Wyman, loves to hear.
“I actually created this because I wanted something to keep the kids off the street, something positive to keep them going versus becoming a statistic. So, I wanted to keep them in something that was positive, nonstop, and not just focus on just stepping. Focus on mentorship, you know, bringing people in once a month. Let’s talk about peer pressure, mental illness, and so forth. Just to give them an outlet other than just strictly competition,” said Wyman.
Taylor said ICONZ has helped her learn more about what she is truly capable of.
“The team has really motivated me a lot to be more confident and push myself up more like, like speak up more, be myself.”
The Atomic ICONZ Middle School Step Team is not the first ICONZ Step Team to win a National Championship. In 2021, WAVY.com introduced you to the organization’s winning ways when the ICONZ & Ladies ICONZ Step Teams both won National Championships! Then, in 2022, the Lady ICONZ were crowned National Champs again.
If your child is interested in joining one the ICONZ Step Teams, click here.
