By Jack Hart | ILSportsWire
The Monticello Sages Cheer Squad is entering the new season with plenty of excitement, strong senior leadership and a freshman class that has already made an early impact.
After beginning preseason practice this week, the Sages are already ahead of where they have been in previous seasons. Coach Ashlee Burton said the team spent the summer learning its material, and the extra preparation has allowed the squad to move quickly into the next phase of its work.
“We have a great squad this year,” Burton said. “They learned all their material over the summer, did their homework, and practices this week have gone fairly well.”
That preparation has been especially noticeable among the freshman class. According to Burton and the senior cheerleaders, the new group came into preseason already familiar with the cheers, allowing the team to spend less time teaching material and more time cleaning up performances and working on stunts.
“I have a big freshman group this year,” Burton said. “They were coached really well at the middle school level, so I feel like they’ve kind of plugged in really well.”
The team also attended its first UCA team camp this summer, an experience Burton believes helped the newcomers become comfortable with their teammates and understand what it takes to compete at the varsity level.
For senior cheerleader Makayla Harden, the camp was one of the highlights of her four years in the program. The team stayed together at a hotel while learning new material, but Harden said the team bonding was just as important as the cheer instruction.
The Sages’ senior class will also play a major role in guiding the younger athletes. Burton said she has six seniors this season, with four of them having been under her coaching since seventh grade.
“They hold a very special place in my heart,” Burton said. “They were the first team I ever coached, so I’ve kind of watched them grow and just become great leaders.”
That leadership is already showing through. Senior cheerleader Kayla Mast emphasized the importance of enjoying the experience and making the most of the four years in the program, while Kenzie Bundy encouraged the younger athletes to maintain positive attitudes and have fun.
The Sages are also looking to take their stunting to another level this season.
Burton said the team is working toward more difficult stunts, including pyramids and libs. The summer UCA camp gave the squad an opportunity to receive professional instruction and build a foundation for those skills.
For the seniors, those new stunts are another exciting part of the season. The team hopes to have new material ready for the student section and fans during football season.
Monticello’s Friday night atmosphere is another major part of what makes the season special for the cheerleaders. Harden said she especially enjoys the pregame show, band dances and helping create the tunnel for the football team as the players take the field.
The student section also plays an important role.
The cheerleaders aren’t just performing for the crowd—they want the crowd involved with them. Harden, Mast and Bundy all encouraged Monticello fans to participate during cheers, dances and timeout routines.
For Burton, that support can make a major difference.
“It’s a lot harder than people think,” Burton said, explaining that cheer requires hours of memorization, strength, flexibility and constant energy. The athletes must know their material instantly while maintaining enthusiasm and a positive presence throughout an entire game.
“It is a commitment,” Burton said.
That commitment continues throughout the year, not just during the competitive season.
The Monticello program also places an emphasis on developing athletes from a young age. Burton previously coached at the junior high level and said the program works to create continuity between junior high and varsity, allowing younger athletes to learn much of the same material before eventually making the jump to high school.
As the fall season approaches, the Sages are ready to put that preparation on display.
With a strong senior class, an energized freshman group, new stunts and a summer of preparation behind them, Monticello Cheer believes it has the pieces for a memorable season.
Now, the team is asking the community to be part of it.
“Just come out to our games and cheer us on,” Burton said. “We love having fans in the stands.”
Whether it’s Friday Night Lights, basketball season or a junior varsity or freshman football game, the Sages want Monticello fans in the stands and making their voices heard.
The cheerleaders have done the work. Now they’re ready to bring the energy.
