Bolingbrook Trojans Pee Wee Cheer Squad Heading to Nationals

Submitted by Valley View School District 365U

The Bolingbrook Trojans Pee Wee Cheer team, including 12 Valley View School District 365U students, will compete for the Pop Warner National Cheer Championship Dec. 7-11 in Orlando.

The squad, coached by Independence Elementary School and Jane Addams Middle School grad Amber Herrera, will also make an appearance Monday on the ABC-7 Chicago program Windy City Live.

Team members include VVSD students Janya Allen, Brooke Cephas, Hayley Engelman, Thalia Herrera, Sydney Isom, Kylee King Mikayla Martinez, Trenedy Mayfield, Lauren Mitchell, Payton Novak, Ashlyn Schnute, and Peyton Terry, as well as Riley Zeller, Giovanna Kuchar, Lauryn Wilson, and Ariele Jones, who attend other schools.

Peggy Deck and Trisha Novak are assistant coaches.

Bolingbrook Trojans Pee Wee Cheer, which includes youngsters 9 to 12 years old, finished second (just six tenths of a point out of first) at the 11-team Mid America Regional to qualify for nationals where they will compete against 15 other teams.

Pop Warner is a non-profit organization that provides youth football and cheer & dance programs for participants in 42 states and several countries around the world. A child must maintain an above average GPA to participate in the program.

The Bolingbrook Trojans will have three different age-level teams competing this year at nationals.