Congratulations to Lauren ... voted UCA All-American!

Lauren (to the left) was voted UCA All-American at camp. She was given the opportunity to go to London and cheer in the Macy's New Year's Day parade. Instead she opted to go to New York with co-captain LeyAnne and cheer in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. All captains who attended camp this summer were given the opportunity to go to New York. Lauren decided it would be more memorable to go with LeyAnne and cheer together. Congratulations girls - you work hard and are great captains and deserve this wonderful honor. Can't wait to post a picture of you in your Macy's uniforms!!!

Cheer Camp Day 4

Here we are on the final day of cheer camp ready to cheer for final evaluations!

Seniors - Sam, Lauren, LeyAnne, Mallory, & Joelle

Juniors: Kally, Ruthie, Alexis, Tessa, Ingrid, & Katie

Sophomores: Gabby, Julia, Karla, Amber, & Ana

We received Superior ratings on our final cheer & Xtreme routine performances! Great job!

Cheer Camp Day 3

Today was super hero day and the Hero's Rally, so some of the girls dressed in their favorite superhero costumes. Our camp clothes of the day were pink camo tops and white shorts. They all looked so cute!

Today was Xtreme routine evaluation day, and the girls worked very hard getting the routine down in a very short time. Great Job!

The best part of the day was the All American tryouts because Lauren was chosen!
Way to go, Lauren! Unfortunately the clip would not upload, but I'll try it again tomorrow! Lauren has the opportunity to cheer at the Macy's Day Parade in London! How cool is that?!!

Cheer Camp Day 2

Here we are at camp on day 2 in our "peace, love, cheer" tie dye outfits that Lauren loved so much with the matching pink peace bandanas that LeyAnne picked out. So cute!
We were up early for breakfast at 7am, captains' meeting at 8am, then warm-ups at 8:15am. The day progressed with stunt class and dance class, and classes for the coach.

Here they are at dance class - lots of fun and new moves to incorporate into our routines.

The girls later received an "excellant" ribbon for their cheer! Great Job!

Then Lauren, Alexis, Ingrid, and Karla were chosen to participate in the "Jump Off"
Karla made it into the finals with her excellant toe touch! She didn't win it all, but just making into the finals in her first year of cheering is amazing! Great job, Karla! Here she is doing her toe touch in the finals:

Cheer Camp 2009! Day #1

Here we are at 8AM getting ready to leave for Cheer Camp. Four intense days of cheer instruction with the UCA group at the Clocktower Resort in Rockford. A lot of learning and fun!

There are about 200 girls here and the excitement level is intense - and loud!!!

Here are the girls with their Big Sis, Katie, learning some new cheers - we are going to be so ready for football this year with some new great cheers!

Here is a short video - you can't hear much, but you can see how loud it is!!

30 1/2 hours till cheer camp!

Hope you are all ready for camp! We leave at 8am on Monday morning! Don't be late. Don't forget your shoes and poms as well as your camp clothes and bathing suit. Call me if you need to and leave a message in case I am in church. I will answer ASAP. Have a great day of worship and will see you bright and early on Monday with a "smile on your lips....." you know the saying. Love, Coach *\0/*

Camp is just around the corner!

Only 6 more days until camp! I can't tell who is more excited - me or you!! I am so glad we are going and can't wait to post pictures from camp! I should be a great experience for you and a lot of fun.

Happy 4th of July

Have a safe and fun 4th of July. Good practice today for those that came. Keep up the good work! Will see you all next Tuesday at 1pm in the Grace Gym... again, enjoy the holiday and may God bless!

Thank you all!

Thank you all for the many birthday messages and prayers! I thank the Lord for such a great group of girls - past and present! - that take the time to think of others. Phil. 1:3

Ordered most of your camp clothes today - can't wait to take you to camp. Should be a lot of fun!

Love you all and thanks again,
Coach

Summer Practice

We had our first practice Monday to start getting ready for Cheer Camp in July. Great to get back together with everyone and looking forward tot he year ahead. Cheer camp should be a lot of fun.

Hope those of you on vacation are having a lot of fun! Look forward to seeing you soon.

Next practice is Thursday, June 25 from 1 to 3 pm in the Sunken Gym (something going on in the Grace Gym so we can't use it). Let me know if you can't come - and make sure you bring a water bottle or sports drink - it will be hot.

And HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY TO KALLY! May the Lord bless you with a great day and wonderful year ahead.

Congratulations to our new Charger Girls:

Captains & Seniors:
LeyAnne Gonzales & Lauren Salomonson

Seniors:
Samantha Barthen
Emily Harbeck
Mallory Laskowski
Joelle Svendsen
Annah Walthon

Juniors:
Alexis Garcia
Ruthie Hamgeri
Kally Johnson
Tessa Kramer
Katie Morrison
Ingrid Palmer

Sophomores:
Gabrielle Brosnan
Steff Chaires
Ana de la Cruz
Julia Hoegler
Karla Laskowski
Amber Monasterio

Charger Girl Tryouts for the 2009-2010 Team!

We will be holding tryouts for all interested 8th through 11th grade girls on May 26, 27, & 28th after school at 3:45PM in the Faith Gym (until 5:00PM daily).

Permission forms will be passed out on May 26th.

We will be going to Cheer Camp this summer from July 13th to July 16th. Information will be passed out at tryouts.

If you or your parents have any questions, please call me, stop in, or email me.

Look forward to getting next year in gear.........remember "hands on the hips, smile on the lips!"
Love you all!
Coach Kramer *\o/*

The first week of May is National Teacher Appreciation Week

On behalf of the Charger Girls, we thank our CLA teachers for their care and unwavering devotion to our students. Our great teachers spark imagination, cultivate creativity and make dreams become reality. We know firsthand how important our teachers are to leading our students to Christ and encouraging them spiritually. Thank you for the amazing work you do each and every day! You are a blessing to us all. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

2009-1010 Cheer Captains

Congratulations to our 2009-2010 Cheer Captains announced at the Candlelight Ceremony:

LeyAnne Gonzales & Lauren Salomonson

..........thank you to Captains Susanna and Katie L. - you will be greatly missed! We pray for your future ahead as you leave CLA. May the Lord be with you in all of your endeavors and bless you with success and happiness in the years ahead. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart." Prov. 3:5

2009 Cheerleading Awards

Captain / Leadership Awards: Susanna Forsythe and Katie Landeweer

Charger Award: LeyAnne Gonzales

Most Valuable Cheerleader: Susanna Forsythe

Spirit Award: Katie Landeweer

Most Improved Cheerleader: Joelle Svendsen

Flyer Award: Stephanie Chaires

Best Base Award: Lauren Salomonson

Our 2009 Charger Girls:

• Samantha Barthen
• Gabrielle Brosnan
• Stephanie Chaires
• Susanna Forsythe
• LeyAnne Gonzales
• Ruth Hamgeri
• Tessa Kramer
• Katie Landeweer
• Mallory Laskowski
• Katie Morrison
• Ingrid Palmer
• Lauren Salomonson
• Joelle Svendsen
• Annah Walton

2009 Candlelight Ceremony

Coach's Reflections: The passing of the flame is not just the bright burning candlelight, but the flame of tradition, friendship, family, togetherness, and love. It's the passing of the candle, flame touching flame, and heart touching heart – a tradition of remembrance to officially end this great season. I want to thank parents and friends who were able to us for our second candlelight ceremony. .. Something I hope will become a cheerleading tradition here at CLA. Parents, thank you for your support this season and allowing your daughters to be cheerleaders. Senior parents, you know these four years have flown by. You gave us your little girls and now we have in front of us the beautiful young women they have become. They have each been an integral part of this team and they will be greatly missed! Parents, especially freshmen parents, you will be amazed at how quickly these years pass. Speaking from experience, I can’t encourage you enough to enjoy this time now with your daughters. Watch them perform, enjoy being a part of this experience with them because before you know it, it will be over. We have had a great year. Cheering for football was a lot of fun and a good new experience. We learned a lot: new cheers & dances, how football cheering was different than basketball … we learned a lot about each other and about working together to achieve and get better, and, all-in-all, the cheerleaders did a great job. We were able to go to a tournament this year which was a new experience. It was a pleasure to travel with the girls as they represented CLA well and I was happy to see them uphold, reflect, project the goals and ideas of CLA being good public relations ambassadors for the school and its athletic programs and representing Christ at all times. I received many complements from the parents at Calvary Christian as well as the hotel staff and others, so I was very encouraged and pleased about that. As a matter of fact I receive complements all of the time about the cheerleaders – that you perform well together, that you look good, that you represent CLA well and help to create school spirit, pride, and loyalty. These have been my goals since I began: To promote within each individual cheerleader good sportsmanship and leadership qualities, as well as to help the competitive spirit and develop responsibility, to encourage honest effort, and to further develop character. I know I maintain high standards and sometimes the girls get frustrated with me, but the whole idea is to teach teamwork and pride in a quality performance by maintaining these high standards. And, most of all doing all this while growing closer in our walk with Christ, as well as letting Him shine through us! It is not always easy for us to shine as Christians. There is no doubt that some days are better than others, yet we strive for a ‘constant’ walk and a constant shining. It is with the confidence of knowing that we have been chosen in Christ Jesus - prior to us even taking our first breath in this world - that should encourage us to shine for Him. Jesus our Light in this world. We are found complete in Him. He is our refuge and our strength. He unites us and serves as our guiding light in times of challenge. Never be afraid to shine bright. If we walk in the Light, then there is no doubt that we shall shine. Remember that at the end of today, when the candles are blown out, His light will still be burning within you, and the flames of truth, love, and service to God will never die.

Lauren's picture "SPIRIT we've got it"

Catching up! Basketball Tournment Pics...

Haven't had a chance to blog much lately, so I am going to start by posting pictures and making the titles in order even tho the dates won't be. We had such a great season. Hope you like my new background thanks to Tanya Aiello who directed me to this great site with free backgrounds. I chose the blue and black since those are the colors in our uniforms - not to say I won't change things up in the future! So, here are a few pics from our great time at the Calvary Christian Basketball Tournament:

More Little Chargers Cheer Camp November 2008