Indian Trail cheerleading team enters season with goal of state championship
KENOSHA, Wis. — From the start, the Indian Trail cheerleading team was committed to excellence, and current head coach Kayla Estevez and assistant coach Lauren Ven Hoof don’t plan on letting that standard slip. The JV Hawks cheer team has held a consecutive 8-time state championship title, only missing another state title by 8 points last year. The varsity team has held 3 state championships and looks to receive a state bid every year. The team also won first place for Spirit and Energy this season in the Kenosha 4th of July parade.
Estevez’s motto for the team is “Being a part of something special makes you special” and being part of this team is definitely something special. This year, she made sure that the coaches and team captains personally called to congratulate new team members and organized an introductory practice that included games and bonding activities. Estevez also created the ITHSA Cheer Gives Back initiative to show her team that cheer is an opportunity for leadership, success, and growth. So far this year they have made blankets and dog beds for Safe Harbor Humane Society and for the children at the Shalom Center, packed meals at Feed My Starving Children, hosted a youth camp, and volunteered at the Tri My Best triathlon. Future plans include volunteering at the soup kitchen, bell ringing with the Salvation Army, raising money for breast cancer research, and decorating and visiting nursing homes during the holiday season.
The current varsity team has 4 captains: Eboni Bernard (senior), Sophia Flores (senior), Tiara Murray (senior), and Megan Power (sophomore). The captains are described by their coaches as “kind, caring, respectful, strong leaders, talented cheerleaders, and all-around great people” who excel in school as well as on the mat. These natural leaders live and breathe cheerleading and are always coming up with new ideas, routines, and stunts to share with their coaches and teammates.
Estevez holds her cheerleaders to high standards, and they have yet to disappoint her. Both coaches have set a lot of goals for their team this season and started their practice schedule early as a result. Some of these goals include supporting the football team at all home games and most away games, placing at all local competitions, and placing at the state level. Spending so much time together (cheer is a year-round sport) can often mean the team members see each other more than their own families. With the support of their coaches and teammates, the ITHSA cheerleading team feels like a family, too.
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