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ALTON - The Alton High School and Alton Middle School cheerleaders had a remarkable weekend in the Illinois Cheerleading Coaches Association (ICCA) Championships in Springfield.
The AHS varsity and junior varsity cheerleaders finished third and the Alton Middle School cheerleaders were fifth.
AHS Athletic Director Chris Kusnerick described the achievements of the cheerleaders as “history-making.”
Scholar athletes Grace Napp and Lauren Weiner also brought home over $3,000 in scholarships in competition. Scholar Athletes had to submit a video compilation of skills, GPAs/transcripts, and interviews with the ICCA Scholarship Board.
Alton coach Breonna Pettigrew said her squad's performances were indeed "record-breaking" and "surreal to watch."
“In our practices leading up to the competition, our teams had to overcome several obstacles (career-ending injuries, illnesses, athletes unable to perform for various reasons, and the unexpected loss of a dear cheer parent). But our JV and varsity athletes banded together with 1 goal, and that was to perform their best for each other! Win or lose, myself and the coaching staff were satisfied in watching our kids lift each other up through selfless acts of kindness and humility. Their bond and teamwork uplifted us all during such a trying time.
"Our varsity coed performed strong elements throughout and endured stunt falls in their performance. Moving forward, we plan to re-work and master these skills in preparation for the upcoming Southwestern Conference Championship and IHSA State series. Our junior varsity team, led by our newest coach Alexis Mize, left their mark on the ICCA mats after performing a perfect routine with zero deductions. It was a great way to end the JV season!”
