In only its second year of competition, the Buffalo Grove High School varsity cheerleading squad accomplished the unthinkable: It won the National Cheer and Dance Team championship.
The squad is made up of nine girls and 11 boys, only four of whom are returning members–Brad Abrahams, Denise Jodlowski, Lisa Feddema and Jennifer Russano.
“The main goal was to do our best and have fun,” said head coach Jeff Siegal.
Since late May, the team has been practicing four to five times a week in three-hour intervals. Those practices increased as tournaments or competitions approached.
Siegal has six years of head coaching experience and shares the position with Jodene Woltman. Siegal has spent the last two years at Buffalo Grove, but has also worked at Lake Forest, Niles North and Glenbrook North High Schools.
“I can’t say enough about my coaching staff or Jodene. She has just done an outstanding job,” Siegal said.
Woltman is a former captain of the University of Iowa cheerleading team and has been working with the Buffalo Grove team for the last two years.
The Buffalo Grove junior varsity squad also excelled, finishing third in the 40-team competition. Finishing between the Buffalo Grove teams was the defending champions from Russell County, Ky.
“The entire coaching staff is so proud of these teams,” Siegal said of the Buffalo Grove squads. “Both groups have exceeded all expectations that we as a coaching staff set for them. Placing first and third in the national competition was something you can only dream about.”
Siegal attributes the rapid success to “a phenomenal coaching staff” and “great teamwork ethic.”
The cheerleading team’s accomplishments are being commemorated by the village, and sign is being dedicated to the high school in the team’s honor.
