The Memorial Park Spartans Pee Wee 3rd Degree Cheer Team completed its undefeated season by winning 1st Place National Champion honors at the Pop Warner National Cheer and Dance Championships this past December. This was a first in Memorial Park Spartans Cheer team’s over 60 year history.
“It was a great experience,” said head coach Nicole Early. “It was blood, sweat and tears to get there. The girls came into the season and knew what they wanted. They knew that they wanted to take Nationals…and they knew it was going to be a long road to get there.”
The large level 3 team serves girls from the western suburbs of Chicago, including Bellwood, Melrose Park and other Proviso communities. Early said there are between 28-35 girls enrolled in the program.
The Memorial Park Spartans Pee Wee 3rd Degree Cheer Team performs at the Pop Warner National Cheer and Dance Championships.
“We practice three to four days out of the week,” Early said, adding the girls also participate in tumbling and stunt camp along with team bonding sessions. “It is a sisterhood…[many] have been cheering together since they were six and some of them are now 12 [years old].”
While the team does cheer for the Memorial Park Spartans Football team, this season the main focus was on competing.
Composed of cheerleaders ages 9 to 12 years old, the Spartan Pee Wee team began its season in October, placing first at “Battle of the Best” and coming out on top as “Grand Champions.”
Early said the team would review the scoresheets from each competition to locate areas for improvement, all while ensuring the girls kept their grades up as “grades come first.”
By the time Nationals came about, the team was ready to go.
“We knew what we had to do,” Early said. “They went in headstrong. They were confident and they were ready.”
Early said she had a lot of anxiety and tears, calling herself a “big crybaby” when it comes to the girls. But those “happy tears” were a response to seeing the girls’ drive and passion.
“I had to get behind them and be the force, be the strength and make sure they had all the tools they needed to win,” she said.
The team traveled to Charlotte, NC to compete on Dec. 9., with one goal: to win a national championship.
Ebony “Nicki” Smith, Memorial Park Spartan Scholastic director and team mom, said parents were on “pins and needles” following the previous year’s season where the team did not place in any competition. Her daughter Nadia, 11, has been on the team since she was six years old.
Smith said she believed those losses motivated the girls and gave them the determination to come back stronger this year.
“I want to give Nicole [Early] her flowers because she is an amazing, exceptional coach,” Smith said. “That is a huge speak for someone to not place [and then] to go straight to first place.”
Smith also added that “Coach E” took the girls from a level 2 to a level 3 cheer team in one year.
“This is the first time in history that this cheer team has ever won a first place national championship,” Smith said. “This is a huge deal for us. It is a huge win for the team and it is a huge win for the community. This goes to show you how good our coach is.”
When that first place win was announced, Early said she “jumped up like she had young bones.”
“I just pointed my head up to God and said we did it,” Early said.
Guided by Philippians 4:13, Smith said the Bible verse remains central to the team’s mindset and perseverance throughout the season.
The team has been already recognized by various mayors including Maywood Mayor Nathaniel Booker, Bellwood Mayor Andre Harvey and Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins, who all showed their support for the girls during their town meetings.
Smith said there are more recognitions to come this month in January.
“This is such a huge deal and I am glad the community is giving them their flowers and really commending them on their hard work and dedication,” Smith said. “This means a lot to these girls.”
Smith said she hopes the win instills pride in the community and they continue to help support the girls dream to bring more trophies home.
“To go to national championships, it costs quite a bit of money for each of the families,” Smith said. “Every kid has a different financial situation and it would just help to get a sponsorship to help offset the cost.”
