BY DANI TIETZ
dani@sjodaily.com
Coaches always talk about how a season is a marathon, not a sprint. Nothing could be truer with high school cheerleading.
Like many squads, the Oakwood High School cheerleaders began the 2019-20 season in the heat of the summer. But unlike many other squads, they will end their season in the cold of February at the IHSA State Finals at Redbird Arena.
The Comets placed second at the Carterville Sectional Saturday, guaranteeing the squad a spot at the Cheer State Preliminaries on Friday. They will perform at 12:55 in the Small Team division.
After football season ended with Oakwood High School’s first IHSA football playoff win in 31 years, the Comets turned to their basketball routine, but also prepared for their competition season.
Head coach Kacie Jones said that the goals the team set at the beginning of the season are what has helped them succeed in the marathon.
“We set small goals at the start of each practice and write them on a whiteboard to help stay focused during practice,” she said. “We also write our accomplishments on our mats so that we can see how far we have come throughout the season.”
The Comets took the court on Dec. 8 at the Illinois Cheerleading Coaches Association (ICCA) Invitational on Dec. 8. While their first performance wasn’t what they’d hoped it would be, the Comets qualified for the ICCA Championship where they placed 15th on Jan. 20.
The following weekend, the Comets performed at the North Pole Invite where they placed first. They also placed first in the Vermilion County Tournament in January.
Jones said the season definitely had highs and lows.
“We’ve been a bit frustrated all season because we have performed better at practices than competitions, and we have had mistakes in the last few skill sections of our routines at competition,” she said.
“But we worked together to put our best routine of the season out for sectionals.
“I always tell our athletes that the season is a marathon, not a sprint, but sectionals week is that final mile where it is time to really kick it into high gear and give it your all.”
Leading up to sectionals, the Comets really focused on hitting a routine that was clean, focusing on their strengths, including strong stunts and pyramid.
“On Saturday, we were finally able to put together a complete routine, and it was an amazing feeling when we finished!” Jones said.
“I was proud of my athletes, and excited for both the new and returning members to have the opportunity to attend state. It is a relief to know that all of your hard work from the season has paid off.”
During the sprint to the state finish line, the Comets know they must remain focused.
On Monday, they worked on adding more difficulty to their routine. As the week progresses, they will focus on execution and repetition.
“Our goal is to finish in the Top 10 and move on to the finals on Saturday,” Jones said.
No matter what, Jones is pleased with the character and determination of her 2019-20 squad.
“There have been a lot of twists and turns to this season, but they have never given up on themselves or one another,” she said. “They have really come together as a team over the past few weeks and set high expectations for themselves.”
The 2020 Oakwood Cheer Squad Members Includes: Audrey Acord, Anniston Brant, Lydia Dazey, McKenzie Ellerkamp, Xoey Ensign, Cassie Fugate, Allie Morris, Mia Nash, Allie Plotner, Shelby Smiley, Lyrik Talbert
