Ellie Rendon, the captain of Bloomingdale High School’s varsity cheer team, led her team to its first national championship title.
But, she said it was a team effort to earn the title.
“The best part is everyone on the team is just so amazing,” Rendon said. “They all listen, and we just respect each other.”
Preparing for the championship officially starts over the summer, but Rendon, along with her co-captain, Natalie Kruse; junior captain, Peyton Ostendorf; and their team, will start training as soon as the previous season ends.
Such a long season comes with challenges, including the physical fatigue cheering takes on their bodies.
The team does Bible studies together, which Rendon said keeps them in a good mindset.
“I think that it honestly has helped our season immensely,” she said. “Just keeping each other in the same mindset.”
Rendon, who has been cheering since she was 4, also said their coach, Tracy DiPrima, encourages them and pushes them to do their best.
“She’s basically the best person in the world,” Rendon said. “Everyone on the team loves her.”
Rendon said DiPrima sets a good example for sportsmanship and teaching other core values.
DiPrima said teaching these core values, such as having a caring and supportive environment, and prioritizing building strong, intentional relationships made all the difference this season.
“I think that we really focused on those, and it actually transferred into what they were doing every day on the mat,” she said. “Plus, they just got along really well.”
When the season got difficult, DiPrima said the team stayed motivated by successfully executing the tough skills and stunts they worked on all season.
She also kept morale up by hosting small celebrations and doing special events throughout the season, which also contributed to the intentional relationships.
The season was also made possible with the support of the Bloomingdale High School community and other companies that helped the team fundraise.
Looking ahead to next season, DiPrima said she will continue prioritizing these core values and encouraging new members to reach high expectations.
“I think they’re going to have this level of expectation for themselves now that they have tasted that big level of success,” she said.
