Setting A Precedent: Glenbrook South Cheerleaders Make 1st State Trip

GLENVIEW, IL — After making its first trip ever to the Illinois High School Association state series competition, the Glenbrook South varsity cheerleading has taken the program to new heights this winter.

"This team has definitely set a precedent for cheerleading at Glenbrook South and I'm excited to see the different ways in which the program will continue to grow," Amanda Middleton, GBS cheerleading coach, tells Patch.

To make it to state, held at the Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington Feb. 2 and 3, the team qualified at the IHSA state sectionals last month. The pool for the large varsity division consisted of 25 teams. The team, comprised of 15 student-athletes, included seven seniors.

Prior to their departure to state, the school held a sendoff for the team.

"This team embodies all that it means to be a Titan," said Middleton, who began coaching the program in 2019, and was a competitive cheerleader herself with state and national experience at Rolling Meadows High School. "Teamwork, hard work, commitment, pride. We did a lot of goal setting throughout the season, which helped guide our progress and really focused on our skills through a growth mindset."

Though the Titans didn't advance to the finals despite a "great" routine, hard work that began last July at summer camp practices surely paid off.

"We set a lot of goals as a team and worked hard to build a solid foundation for the fall and winter seasons, which also contributed to our success," Middleton said.

Members of the 2023-2024 varsity cheerleading sqaud were: Cameron Ashley, Meghan Anderson, Kyla Barzyk, Sydney Burns, Jenny Brant, Addison Ehrhardt, Maddie Fifield, Kassie Greenlee, Addie Korman, Elli Mostovoy, Evelyn Neyman, Sophia Santos, Cynthia Sewell, Sydney Spilios, and Archana Stoeterau.

"This group never wavered and always showed up and stayed committed to the process. We had a large group of seniors who really led by example throughout the season as well," Middleton said. "The bar continues to rise in terms of the different skills you see in competitive cheerleading, and I think this team has worked hard to meet these expectations and prove to others that we deserve to be here. "