Grayslake Colts Cheerleaders Headed to State Championship

The Grayslake Colts Cheerleaders are heading to the 6th annual Illinois Cheer & Dance State Championship Dec. 6-8 at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates. 

After incredible performances at three qualifying events, there are five of seven Colts Cheer squads that earned bids to qualify for the coveted State Competition title in hopes of winning first place.

Squads from all over Illinois that are members of Illinois Recreational Cheerleading Association (IRCA)—or receive a bid from another qualifying event—can compete in more than 10 state qualifying events to perform and earn bids for State.

The final 250 who receive qualifying bids are eligible to participate in the State Championship. Cheerleaders (fourth grade and older) must score a 75 or higher or place first (out of two or three) to receive a bid for State, while Pommies (fourth grade and older) must score a 70 percent or higher or place first (out of two or three) to receive a bid.

The Grayslake Colts squads that qualified this year were: Pee Wee Cheer (fourth grade), led by Head Coach Tiffany Sliteris and Asst. Coaches Mary Jo Thorsen and Stephanie McClellan; Mascot Cheer (K-1), led by Head Coach Jen Mertens and Asst. Coaches Michelle Whaples and Danielle Schmidt; JV Cheer (sixth grade), led by Head Coach Thayna Schuerman and Asst. Coaches Abbey Grillo, Kari Whittington and Toni Anderson; Seventh Grade Varsity Cheer, led by Head Coach Elizabeth Hoker and Asst. Coaches Terrie Monaghan and Tammie Price; and Eighth Grade Varsity Cheer, led by Head Coach Julie Marcus and Asst. Coaches Nikki Westbrooks and Michelle Whaples.

State competition is an “elimination format.”  At the Sears Centre, teams will compete in groups based upon their division/category/size. The three teams with highest point values awarded by the panel of judges will proceed to the championship round on the last day of the competition. The order of performance for the final round will be based off the lowest-scoring team to the highest-scoring team. If two teams have the same score, then the order will be determined by a random system of choosing by tournament officials. If a third place tie is recognized, the officials will advance the team that had the highest score based in the category of in the following order:

1). Perfection of Routine

2). Degree of difficulty (if necessary)

3). Choreography