Immanuel-Batavia Cheer Team to Participate in State Competition

The Immanuel Lutheran School, Batavia, cheer team will be first-time participants in the thirty-fifth annual Illinois Lutheran Sports Association State Cheerleading Championship that will be held Fri., Mar. 1, 2019 at Concordia University in River Forest, Illinois at 6 PM. Video of last year’s State competition is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXiSDWzfkK8.

In addition to their regular cheerleading practices and game commitments, Immanuel’s State cheer team has participated in additional practices for this competition since last September. They will compete against last year’s winning team from Zion Lutheran School in Belleville, Illinois, along with several other schools. “The girls have really worked hard on lifts and extensions. This year we added an extension and our dance moves have increased in difficulty. We also added more tumbling than we have had in the past,” Coach Suydam shared.

The cheerleaders will represent Immanuel-Batavia at the State competition: Bekkah Dauksha, Olivia Groetken, Colleen Siemann, Julia Viehweg, Tessa Lejeck, Alexis Morales, Natalie Lester, Jane Acuna, Julia Schoppe, Kayleigh McLane, Sarah Jerdee, Jorie Anderson. The team is coached by fifth grade teacher/assistant principal Penny Suydam and parent volunteer Melissa Lejeck.

When asked for her thoughts on this new level of competition for Immanuel students involved in this sport, assistant coach Melissa Lejeck said, “I would like to say that these girls have been working hard at mastering their stunts this season. I am very proud of them for all their hard work and am looking forward to our upcoming competition. It’s been such a pleasure working with them!”

In addition to cheerleading, the school also offers volleyball, cross country—in which they have placed at the State and National levels, basketball—boys and girls teams have participated in several of the very competitive State tournaments, and track and field—with several State placements. The school traditionally offers several sport camps during the summer months, including basketball, volleyball, and cheer camps.

Immanuel Lutheran School, located one block south of the intersection of Hart Rd. and Pine St. in Batavia, is now accepting new enrollments for the 2019-2020 school year. To learn more, contact Megan Popp, Director of Community Connections, at 630 406 0157 or mpopp@immanuelbatavia.org. Immanuel Lutheran School welcomes students of all races, creeds, national, and ethnic origins.