Platinum Cheer Team Wins State Championship

HOMER GLEN, IL — Platinum Cheer Association, a cheerleading league in Homer Glen, recently captured a championship win at the Illinois Recreational Cheerleading Association's state competition. PCA's sixth and seventh grade team won the state championship in their division, and earned the top score for the entire competition between all ages and teams, coach Kelly Boike told Patch.

The cheer season was a difficult one, and at first, the league and coaches didn't see a way it could work, Boike said. However, in October, PCA's competitive league decided to put together a season, culminating with the state championship at the NOW area in Hoffman Estates at the end of January.

"A group of coaches decided we couldn’t pass up this opportunity and give these athletes a chance back at their normalcy and sport, so we asked the PCA league for approval," Boike said. One older level team was approved, and 29 athletes were ready to compete.

"We knew we had a tough road ahead of us. We had only one opportunity to earn a bid to state at the very last qualifying competition just two and a half weeks away," Boike said. "The athletes worked late nights, last minute set backs, and pulled off a win at the competition for the opportunity to compete at the state competition."

Shortly after that competition, Boike said Illinois started Tier 2 mitigations and the team had to temporarily shut down. The state competition was postponed three times, as athletes continued to practice through Zoom.

"Nothing would stop them. To see them active, socializing, and doing a sport they love was the best feeling for parents after the year we have all had," Boike said. The team was able to resume practices two weeks before the state competition.

Boike said 90 teams from all over the state qualified for the state competition.

"We were hoping for the big win in our division, but we got so much more," she said.

"It’s an honor most athletes and coaches won’t experience in their cheer career, but this team got to through all their hard work and athleticism," she added. "These 29 athletes have proven to their coaches, families and peers, that in a time when there is so much hardship surrounding us, there are no limits that will stop them from achieving their goals."

This team was coached by Boike, Lisa Lechtenberg, Heather Baller, Lisa Copot and Jackie Oprondek. The roster for the team includes: Abigail Basinger, Abigail Giordano, Addyson Hill, Adrianna Pranaitis, Aileen Tunney, Audry Samuelson, Ava Bastas, Ava Lanzi, Caleigh Morgan, Emma Smith, Emma Brutus, Gabriella Zadora, Gianna Lavaty, Hayden Barnett, Jordyn Lyerla, Kennedi Bensfield, Kennedy Hedinger, Kyla Mitchell, Lola Kranich, Maecyn Mox, Makaylah Parker, Misha Salin, Molly Samuelson, Morgan Ebert, Natalie Oprondek, Nina Copot, Sarah Ruby, Sofia Walkosz and Sophie Hutera. The athletes are from Homer Glen, Lockport, Orland Park, New Lenox and Lemont.

Platinum Cheer Association is a nonprofit focused on recreational competition cheer and community outreach. It offers cheerleading for kindergarten through eighth grade.