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By Mark Gregory
@Hear_The_Beard
Ten years ago, competitive cheerleading was in its first season as being recognized as a sport by the Illinois High School Association.
On the anniversary of these athletes being honored as IHSA state champions, Joliet West earned a Large Class state title by defeating Providence with a score of 94.7 in the finals.
“I am happy it is recognized as a sport because of the hard work we put in,” said Brandy Teague. “So many people just see us on the sidelines and don’t see the sweat we put in the gym. We go to tumbling class all year. We start in the summer and work as hard as any sport. It feels amazing to be a state champion. I still can’t believe all the hard work paid off and it made my senior year unforgettable.”
It was the first Joliet High School state championship since the combined softball team won in 2000 softball squad and the first title won by West since the boys track team in 1989. The cheerleaders are only the second Tigers girls champion since the 1978 basketball team.
“It is an amazing accomplishment for us,” said West coach Amy DiForti. “It is still kind of surreal. It has been a huge accomplishment not just for us, but for all of Joliet West. It has been since 2000 since we got a state title.”
Cheerleading is set apart by many things from other sanctioned sports and one of the things it shares with only a few others is the fact that there is no scoreboard, no predetermined end of competition and no immediate winner.
Unlike a basketball game when the winner is determined when the horn sounds, cheerleaders must compete, be judged and wait.
“There is no score,” Diforti said. “We know going in what your point value is and you know going in kind of what you can do if you hit your routine. But in the state tournament everyone is amazing. Then there is a waiting game and they only announce third and second, so after that, you don’t know if you are fifth or fourth or first. Hearing our name was amazing.”
For the team, the wait can be as difficult as the performance.
“It is exhausting,” said Carolina Soto. “We are one of the top 10 teams in the state, but our conference is so tough with teams like Lockport and Lincoln-Way East who are phenomenal teams. So, we can do our absolute best and take third. At state I didn’t feel that. I felt we gave an honest performance and we peaked at the right time.
“I have been through the best and the worst in cheerleading. I have been through competitions where we have placed very high and won and I have been at competitions where we finished last. Achieving one of my biggest goals by winning state is extremely humbling and I feel blessed.”
Another thing the cheer season has that is unique is that it spans two IHSA seasons. Cheer season starts in the summer like fall sports and goes through winter.
“Your body gets so tired,” Teague said. “The whole week leading up to state finals, my body was so tired and all week at practice I just knew I had to push. We had this one goal all season and I needed to push to help reach that goal.”
Also, while working on their competition routine, cheerleaders also perform on sidelines and at halftime of football and basketball games.
“We are the only sport that we are not only worried about our sport, but we have to worry about the others as well,” DiForti said.
While entertaining fans from the sideline is part of what they do, Soto said they are always working toward the goal of competing for a state title.
“We take games to our advantage, so we will do the first part of the routine at halftime or the third part at the quarter. So, that is extra practice for us,” she said. “Our coaches make it so the games are not a setback, but a way to work on the routine in front of a crowd. Being in front of a crowd at a basketball game or a football game is awesome practice.”