Lincoln-Way Central’s head cheer coach, Danielle Emmart, reflected on the previous season, highlighting both competitive achievements and ongoing efforts to fortify the program’s foundation.
The Knights participated with a roster of 16 athletes after losing a senior to a knee injury. Despite this setback, they secured second place in one of the state’s most challenging conferences.
“Most of the large varsity 3A teams in our conference have placed in the top 10 at state at some point,” Emmart said. “To place there is a huge accomplishment.”
According to Emmart, the team advanced to sectionals at Joliet West, which she described as one of Illinois’ most competitive events. Only five teams progress to the state meet, with many consistently reaching day two.
“You can be incredibly consistent all year and one mistake can change everything,” she said.
Injuries significantly impacted the season. Emmart noted that while the program previously competed on consecutive weekends in January, increasing physical demands have made recovery time more challenging to manage.
“We could see the girls pushing through a lot late in the year,” she mentioned. “This season we’re easing into competition more, hoping that rest pays off in the long run.”
