By Heather Shelton, Editor

The varsity cheerleading team will be competing at the Illinois Cheerleading Coaches Association, ICCA, state competition on Feb. 11.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for Kaneland cheerleading to show all their hard work for the season,” Coach Sharon Snyder said.

This is a major achievement for the cheerleaders because it is a first for the Kaneland cheerleading program to go to a state competition.

“Only 25 teams qualify to go, so it’s only the best of the best,” junior Laken Delahanty said.

Scores are ranked through a ten-point scale, ten being a perfect execution of skill and one being the worst.

To make it to the ICCA state competition, the cheerleadering team needs to score in the higher range amongst the other teams. It requires an overall score of 75 percent or higher.

They are judged in categories of voice, motions and dance, jumps, tumbling, stunts, transitions, timing, degree of difficulty and overall effectiveness.

“It’s a new experience for all of us. It’s very exciting because we’re seeing that when we work as a team, we can do amazing things,” Coach Melissa Maloney said.

The cheerleaders practice every day and work hard to prepare for the competitions.

“I am very, very excited because the girls have worked very hard, and it’s paying off,” Maloney said.

ICCA is not the only statewide competition the girls competed for. IHSA, Illinois High School Association, is where only the top five at sectionals qualify for state.

IHSA is more difficult to be able to compete at. The cheerleaders placed seventh out of 20 at IHSA, a mere .66 points away from qualifying for state.

“We worked hard for it,” Delahanty said, “It shows all our hard work and effort we put into it.”

The cheerleaders have high hopes to place top ten within the state at ICCA.

“I’m incredibly proud of the girls and glad that I can be a part of this experience. The girls are rockstars,” Maloney said.