Kelly Klosak has built a winning cheerleading program at Homer Junior High School in Homer Glen, having regularly coached squads in her nine years at the school that finished in the top three at state competition.
But her squad’s latest victory didn’t reflect in the final standings.
Klosak said the squad had put in months of preparation for the Jan. 20 state meet in Peoria. But when students returned Jan. 8 from winter break, she discovered one of their top performers, eighth-grade “regular” Bianca Richie had broken her finger and would be unable to perform.
The first step toward the state tournament was just a few days away.
A relative newcomer to the team, sixth-grade alternate Giuliana Giordano, took Richie’s place and did an excellent job at the meet at Lincoln-Way Central High School in New Lenox, Klosak said.
“Going into the following week of state I was actually very optimistic,” Klosak said. “Everyone was so proud of (Giordano) for pulling through for the team. I think everyone was just confident going into (the final week before state competition).”
It turned out to be the proverbial calm before the storm.
When the team met for their next two-hour practice with the state competition just four days away, Klosak arrived to find seven squad regulars out of the lineup, sick with seasonal illnesses or injury.
“Internally I am (in panic mode),” Klosak said, “but I tried to put on an optimistic face for the girls and let them know there’s no reason to worry or panic until we have to.”
Klosak said the girls had been practicing the same choreographed routine at two-hour sessions several times a week since September.
“They learn it so early … because it takes such a long time to learn it and practice it and execute it,” Klosak said.
At the final practice before the state meet, six of the sick and injured girls still were unable to perform, and Klosak realized the routine the girls knew so well would have to be reworked or the team would have to miss the competition for the first time in the nine years she had been coaching.
They had time for one practice session before the competition. Klosak called a team meeting at the beginning of that practice.
“I laid out all the facts for them,” Klosak said. “We brainstormed, we talked, we went over pros and cons — anything we could do just to get them in the right state of mind.”
She said the meeting lasted about an hour and the team voted to try to rework the routine, taking as long as they needed to get it done.
Klosak said all of the girls voiced their opinions, even the sixth-grade members who usually spent practices watching and learning.
The squad didn’t want to just give up, she said. “And if it doesn’t work out, at least we can say we tried.”
Still, everyone knew the job required more than lip service.
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The “significance and the degree of the changes that were made,” Klosak said, were apparent immediately. One of the backspotters who could not compete was one of the tallest girls on the squad. None of the sixth-grade alternates could replace her because of an “obvious height difference,” causing a safety issue. A regular squad member in a different position would have to take the backspotter’s spot while the alternate learned the routine.
Being safe was at the heart of every decision.
“For me it’s so different with cheerleaders because they’re lifting girls in the air,” Klosak said. “They’re flipping. There’s just so much. Safety’s our number one and everyone was aware of that.”
Stunts such as pyramids had to be completely reworked with only 17 girls versus the usual 20 competing on the mat, bringing the pyramids to half the number of girls as were in the original routine, Klosak said.
After hours of practice, reviewing video and more practice, the girls were ready to go.
On the day of the competition, the every cheerleader boarded the bus at 4:45 a.m. for a two-and-a-half hour ride to the Peoria Civic Center, Klosak said, all with smiles on their faces.
“The girls who couldn’t compete still came with us,” Klosak said. “They still wore the uniform; they cheered on the sides — they were still there to support.”
Klosak said despite the program’s legacy of top finishes, this was the year of no expectations. The squad already had won because the team never gave up in the face of adversity.
Klosak said no judges at event knew about their situation. They were competing on a level playing ground.
The 17 girls on the mat and their teammates in the wings met the challenge and exceeded everyone’s expectations, placing seventh in a field of 17 competitors.
“At awards, they were so happy that they placed in the top half,” Klosak said.
“I asked them, ‘When you look at this, are you still happy you came?’ and everyone said yes. Everyone smiled.”
Klosak said the experience has been her proudest moment in coaching, surpassing even the years her teams took first place.
“I think this really is the most proud I’ve ever been. I’m proud of all my teams but to witness everything that happened in 24 hours…,” Klosak said. “At their age level, they had to make hard decisions.
“It really was my most proud coaching moment ever.”
Ginger Brashinger is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.