Antioch Community High School’s varsity cheer team recently completed their choreography for competition season and has high hopes for the season. The varsity team spends their summer at various camps and undergoes constant training through the fall season. Coaches Amber Babin and Tim Babin want to give a chance to as many students as possible, so they decided to do a separate tryout before competition season. Almost immediately after the teams are finalized, the teams get thrown into choreography two days after tryouts.
“Jared is by far one of the top choreographers for Illinois high school cheerleading,” assistant coach Tim Babin said. “He brings a unique perspective every year that helps to keep Antioch on the leading edge of innovative routines in the state of Illinois.”
The coaches continue to bring in the same choreographer back consistently season after season. Concluding the second day of choreography Babin has high hopes for the team this season.
“This year’s team really embodies the total package in regards to the physical requirements that are needed, but more importantly, the mental game for this team is extremely strong this year,” Babin said.
Not only are the coaches looking forward to seeing what happens this season, but so are the athletes. A majority of the team has gone through the choreography process, but this year junior Madi Maloney and freshman Chase Campbell got to see choreography in a new light. This is Campbell’s first year as an ACHS cheerleader. Campbell had done football season with the varsity cheer team and liked how low-pressure it was, but she still wanted more so she tried out for competition season ready to give the team all she had to offer. Cheerleading choreography is only for two days which can be stressful for many, but not for Campbell.
“I feel like we got a lot done in a short amount of time,” Campbell said. “I feel like we’re in a good place right now.”
Campbell has set various goals for this season and is ready to conquer them but she is not the only one. Junior Madi Maloney is also extremely excited for the season ahead.
“My first two years, I always had the dream of being where I am at today,” Maloney said. “I’m super excited to not only compete with my team but also push myself.”
Maloney brings a high level of stunting to the team while being a backspot in the main stunt, also learning how to one-man Junior Amerissa Kaliakmanis with the help of coach Babin. Maloney is ready to take the mat and show off the team’s new routine for the whole state to see.
“It is going to be a very energetic routine to watch and perform,” Maloney said. “I miss performing for people.”
Overall people have high expectations for ACHS for being such a well-known team in Illinois. But no one’s expectations compare to coach Babin’s.
“We’re fortunate enough at Antioch to have such a strong program, so it is always a big goal to win a state title,” Babin said. “However, the goals this year have been very much focused on team development in the areas of positive relationships and being mentally sound as a team working together.”
