The Lincoln-Way Central Varsity Cheerleaders are hosting their third regional cheerleading competition on Saturday, January 16 starting at 9:15 am with the last performance beginning at approximately 3:24 p.m. at Central High School in New Lenox.

Fifty-three teams are performing with well over 900 participants, including several divisions. The divisions, according to enrollment numbers, include: Junior High, Small Junior Varsity, Large Junior Varsity, Small Varsity, Medium Varsity, Large Varsity and CoEd Varsity. Each performance lasts 6 minutes.

“The competition is open to the public to attend. Admission is $5.00. The event is being held in the field house so anyone coming to watch would need to enter through the field house lobby. We will be giving out 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place trophies in each division,” said Samantha Wertelka, Head Cheerleading Coach for Lincoln-Way Central.

The Central Varsity Cheerleaders will be performing at the end of each session, but they will not be accepting a trophy because they are hosting the event. Jayme Doyle, senior, will be singing the National Anthem, and Dustin Waddell will be the emcee for the day. Dustin is the Coordinator of Student Activities for Central. Assistant cheerleading coaches are Stefanie Pehr and Sarah Szablewski.

“We are really looking forward to the competition. The girls really enjoy the opportunity to host and meet cheerleaders from all over the state,” stated Samantha Wertelka, head coach.

The morning session will include: Old Quarry Middle School; Mokena Jr. High; Kelvin Grove Jr. High; Prairie View Middle School; Lake Park High School, freshmen; Sandburg High School, freshmen; Conant High School, freshmen; Bradley Bourbonnais High School, JV; Bremen High School, JV; Reavis High School, JV; Plainfield East, JV; Sandburg High School, JV; Bartlett High School, JV; Joliet Catholic High School, JV; Lockport High School, JV; Lincoln-Way North High School, JV; Lincoln-Way East High School, JV; Plainfield North High School, JV; Conant High School, JV; Plainfield South, JV; Oak Lawn Community High School, JV; Plainfield Central High School, JV; Minooka Community High School, JV; Argo Community High School, JV; Lake Park High School, JV; and Lincoln-Way Central High School.

The afternoon session includes the varsity cheerleaders from: Reed Custer High School; Antioch High School; Herscher High School; Bloomington High School; Bremen High School; Lincoln-Way West High School; Lemont High School; Hillcrest High School; Bishop McNamara Catholic High School; Bartlett High School; Lockport Township High School; Fenwick High School; Plainfield South High School; Oak Lawn Community High School; Plainfield Central High School; Plainfield East High School; Minooka Community High School; Lincoln-Way East High School; Plainfield North High School; Conant High School; Naperville North High School; Bradley Bourbonnais High School; Maine West High School; Argo Community High School; Lake Park High School; Reavis High School; and Lincoln-Way Central High School.

“We are very excited to see that this competition has grown so much over the last three years,” added Wertelka.