UPDATE: Junior Pee Wee's Take First, Mighty Mites Second in Kissimmee

Barnegat' Junior Pee Wee and Mighty Mite teams competed at Silver Spur Arena in Kissimmee, Florida yesterday, and placed first and second in their respective competitions, according to one of the team's coaches. 

Earlier this week, the town gave the girls a grand send off as they boarded the bus to Florida.

To advance to Florida, each team had to place in the top three in their division, which meant two hours of practice a day, since July, twice a week, according to their coach, Jenn Pari.

"This was such an awesome experience for the girls," Pari told Patch last night. 

Head Coach Tara Montgomery told Patch in an earlier interview: "We practice two nights a week for two hours a day. On top of that, the majority of our girls train at a local tumbling gym two to three nights a week."

She added: "These young girls saw what true devastation looked like. After not being able to hold practice because of the lack of electricity [following Sandy], our girls came back for two practices - one of them during a snow storm - ready to practice, compete and win. The storms could not hold these girls back!! On Nov. 10 our girls walked in to the Big East Regionals knowing that if they wanted Disney they needed to win!! Again they put their heart and soul into it and not only advanced to Disney but took first place! My girls showed me the meaning of determination! The look on their faces when they announced them put tears in my eyes and at that point I knew this is why I coached and loved doing it."