This was Millikin’s first year competing at the College Classic, and they also brought home two College Classic trophies for group stunt.
“This team is different from previous years because of how young our athletes are,” senior cheer team member Oakley Tate said. “With a majority of them being underclassmen, coachable, and eager to learn new skills, it gave the season a fresh rebuild vibe. Full credit to the underclassmen for setting high expectations without having much prior cheerleading experience.”
A team made up mostly of rookies showed up and performed beyond expectations. What was expected to be a rebuilding year quickly turned into a successful season, as they learned new skills with speed and determination.
It takes hours of training and strength to get to the level the team reached this season. “Personally, I know I spent a lot of time in the gym working on my arm strength, my wrist strength, and my leg strength, and trying to be a better base,” freshman alternate Ashira Blakey said. “I really enjoyed learning the positions as well as being an alternate because now I feel like if something were to happen, I would be able to jump in.”
This team consisted of 13 people on the mat and 6 alternates. Being an alternate may seem like the easiest role, but in reality, they have to know everyone’s part and be ready to step in at any moment.
The Division III team competed against Division II teams. Millikin’s cheer team, which is not funded, went against fully funded programs with scholarship athletes and still brought home a trophy.
“Although this team has surprised me from the very beginning, being a majority rookie team, they surprised me most with their ability to recover on the nationals mat when things didn’t go perfectly during routines,” assistant coach Alexis Reed said. “They proved not only that they know their skills, but that they can adapt and still perform at a high level.”
The team had to make changes after prelims, including adjustments to the pyramid and other parts of the routine. Learning and executing those changes in less than 24 hours was a challenge.
“Right before I stepped on the mat during finals, I was purely focused on the changes we made the night before to our routine; everything else was going to be muscle memory,” Tate said. “If I could remember all of our new pyramid counts, I knew we’d be in a good position.”
Performing a perfect routine is difficult even with time to prepare. Having to adjust skills and count the night before made it even more challenging, but the team still put on their best performance on the nationals mat.
One person on the mat balanced the role of both coach and athlete. “The dynamic seemed to shift naturally when I stepped on and off the mat. I made sure to play each role to the best of my ability,” Serron Pettis said. “It was truly an honor to coach and cheer alongside some amazing athletes and even better people.”
Balancing both roles is no small task, and Pettis played a key role in helping athletes improve their tumbling while also performing in the routine.
Much of the work that goes into preparing for nationals is not seen by most people—the time, effort, and physical strain athletes push through.
“The hours, the blood, the sweat, the tears, and the courage,” Reed said. “In cheer, it takes every single person on the mat being locked in and confident in themselves and their team. Everything we do builds trust so we can succeed together.”
All of the time and energy the team put in paid off, as they became the first cheer team in Millikin history to bring home a trophy.
“Awards were honestly an out-of-body experience,” head coach Sarah Rapp said. “After being so close in past years, actually making the winners circle felt like a dream come true. People only see the two-minute, 15-second routine and not the nine months of practice behind it, so having something physical to show for it makes it even more meaningful. This team more than deserved it.”
The rookies were not the only ones learning this season—veterans also stepped outside their comfort zones.
“Being put in a new position this season took me out of my comfort zone,” senior Brandilyn Wegmann said. “I had a productive struggle by growing into new things this year.”
Switching from basing to flying is a major adjustment that requires different skills and strengths. Wegmann’s ability to adapt showed her dedication to the team.
“When I first joined the team, I didn’t have a ‘why’ because I was new to everything at the college level,” senior Kyra Brown said. “But over time, I found my why—and it’s my team. They’re the reason I continued to cheer at this level and to prove that we have amazing athletes making big moves in a sport that’s often overlooked.”
This team overcame challenges beyond their control and excelled throughout the season. Spending more than 12 hours a week practicing helped build strong bonds, making them feel like a family.
The cheer team was rewarded for its efforts by earning third place in the Division II Intermediate Large Coed division. In the College Classic group stunt category, they placed fifth and sixth. For a program that had never brought home a trophy before, earning three in one year is a major accomplishment.
If you are interested in joining this team, tryouts will be held on May 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Griswold Center. Give it a try—you never know, it may be something you truly enjoy.
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