FLAMES CHEER FALL 2024 SEASON

BE A PART OF ONE OF OUR ICA CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS! SIDELINE COMPETITION TEAMS ARE OPEN  FOR GRADES 2-8. 

GAME CHEER TEAMS ARE OPEN FOR GRADES K-2.  

TEAM SUMMARIES:

SIDELINE COMPETITION TEAMS: ***UPDATE AS OF 4/5 ALL COMP TEAMS ARE FULL!! YOU CAN JOIN THE WAIT LIST TO SEE IF ANOTHER TEAM IS OPENING UP***

ALL SIDELINE COMPETITON TEAMS WILL PRACTICE TWICE A WEEK DURING THE WEEK AND ONCE ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON SOMETIME BETWEEN 12-3. EACH TEAM WILL CHEER EVERY OTHER WEEKEND DURING THE FOOTBALL SEASON.  Weekday practice days and times will be determined by the team coach.  If your team is cheering for a Football game that game is considered their practice.  Games are Saturday at Knox Park. There will be opportunties to Cheer at the High School periodically on Sundays.  These are very beneficial for the athletes and highly recommended to attend.  
The Season will run from May15th - Novemnber 17th.  We will have a no contact for two consecutive weeks from June 29th-July 13th. Choreography will be held between May- June.  Practices will begin May 18th and continue over the summer once a week (aside from the no contact weeks) until mandatory practices begin August 12th.
Practice Times and Days will be updated as we comfirm coaches and posted below:
Flash *Super Rec* Grades 2-3 Tuesday and Thursday evenings time 6:30-7:30.  Saturdays 9:00-11:00. Saturday Gametime at Knox 9-11 every other week
Flare Grades 3-4 Tuesday and Thursday evenings 6:30-8:00.  Saturdays 9-11. Satuday Gametime at Knox 10-12 every other week
Blaze  Grades 4-6 Monday and Wednesday evenings 6:30-8:00.  Saturdays from 9-11. Saturday game time 1-3 every other Saturday
Inferno Grades 6-8  Monday and Wednesday evenings 6:30-8:30.  Saturdays from 10-12. Saturday Game time at Knox 10-12 every other Saturday 

CAMP: ICA puts on an AMAZING 3 day Camp at Carthage College for 5th grade and above.  It is not mandatory for 2024 but HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to attend.  The camp is $475 and all food, transportation, lodging, bows and camp shirts are provided. The dates for 2024 are June 10-12.  Please use this link to sign up: LZ FLAMES Cheer Camp Registration (google.com)

COMPETITIONS:  Flames will participate in 3 competitions paid for through your registration. Teams that qualify will also participate in the State Championship.  Please note that the $165 registration fee for State is NOT included in the regular season registration fee. When your child's team qualifies for State you will need to pay the $165 State registration fee. We will do a fundraiser for teams that make State to offset the cost for participating families.
These are the Competition Dates (** indicates the preferred competition.  Exact dates will be determined by the ICA May 18th).

• Sunday, August 25th 1st Look at NIU Convocation Center, DeKalb 
• Sunday, September 7th  Cheercago at Hampshire High School, Hampshire
• Sunday, September 22nd Cheer Wishes at West Aurora High School , Aurora**
• Saturday, October 5th Cheer Pink at Dundee Crown High School, Carpentersville **
• Saturday, October 19th  Spirit Spooktacular at Huntley High School, Huntley   **             
• Saturday, November 2nd  Final Fling at NIU Convocation Center
  **November 14th-17th State Championship NIU Convocation Center, DeKalb**
  For the State Championship:Grades K-4 will compete Thursday AND Saturday.  Grades 6-8 will compete Friday AND Sunday.  5th Grade will compete two days as well and their days will be announced after the Final Fling Compettion.

CHOREOGRAPHY:  All sideline competition teams are REQUIRED TO ATTEND CHOREOGRAPHY.  We are allowed 12 hours of professional choreography per team paid for through your registration.  It is imperative that the whole team is present.  Missing choreography could potentially change or eliminate your athlete's position. Choreohraphy will be finalized and posted sooon.  Exact dates and times for each team will be determined after teams are oficially made. The dates will be updated here on the website as soon as they are determined.

Flash Grades 2-3 Super Rec Week of June 24th, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 1pm-4pm 

Flare Grades 3-4 Week of June 24th, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9am-12pm

Heat TBD if Needed

Blaze Grades 4-6  Saturday, May 18th 1pm-4pm  and Saturday, June 22nd 9am-2pm and Sunday, June 23rd 2:30pm-6:30pm

Inferno Grades 6-8     Saturday, May 18th 8am-1pm  and   Sunday, May19th 2:30pm-5:30pm and Friday, June 21st 12pm-4pm

***Competition teams will ultimately be based on registration numbers NOT grade level.  Some teams may have one grade level instead of 2 or 3 if the registration allows.  In that case a new team will be created.  When you are 'wait listed' for  SIDELINE COMPETITION team please know that means you are waiting to be told which team you are on while registration is open through May 4th.  We can create new Comp teams as we need them provided we have coaches.  If you have never cheered before and LOVE Cheer, we want YOU- no Cheer experience needed!**

**Mandatory practice starts for all Sideline Competition Teams the week of August 12th**

SPARKS GAME CHEER: UPDATE AS OF 4/5 SPARKS IS FULL.  YOU CAN JOIN THE WAIT LIST

SPARKS: KINDERGARTEN-2nd GRADE GAME CHEER:  Sparks has a 12 week season beginning August 5th.  They will practice twice per week  from 5pm-6pm on Monday and Wednesday and cheer every Sunday.  Practice and games will be at Knox Park. Sparks is a great way to introduce your child to the Flames Cheer Program.  This team will learn how to do proper cheer jumps and motions and learn  Flames sideline cheers.  Basic stunts will also be learned (prep or hip level only). Sparks will be divided into 4 separate teams after registration is complete. Siblings will of course be together. Team placement will be announced before the start of practice. You may send one and only one friend request to jenmonasteri@lzflames.org Jen will do her best to accomodate your one request but it is not guarenteed.  Sparks is limited due to the amount of available uniforms and practice space.  If you are wait listed for Sparks we will notify you of an opening IF it occurs the week we start practices.

SPARKS CAMP:  July 23rd-25th will be the Sparks Cheer Camp. They will learn sideline cheers, basic stunts, jumps and motions. Camp is three days and will cost $75.00.  This is a great way to jumpstart the season and work with the High School cheerleaders. More information will be coming shortly.

OVERALL CHEER PROGRAM INFORMATION:

UNIFORMS: 

.*Sparks Game Cheer uniforms will be rented.  The fitting will be at Knox Park after practice.  Sparks will rent their uniform from Flames.  The rental fee is included in your registration.

* Sideline Competition Teams need to purchase a full uniform for $260.00.  A game day tank/shirt will be provided through your registration fee.

Fittings are scheduled for Wednesday May 8th and Thursday May 9th from 5:30-7:30.  A Sign-Up Genius will go out closer to the date. Note: Registration will close for Sideline Competition teams after the final uniform fitting May 9th.  Unifoms are custom ordered and cannot be guaranteed delivery after the order has gone through.

PRACTICE ATTIRE: Practice shirts (2) will be provided through your registration for competition teams.  All teams will wear plain black shorts (not provided) and a t-shirt to practice.  Practice, game and competition bows will be provided as well.  Sparks will receive one practice shirt, a practice bow, and a game day bow.

SHOES: All athletes must purchase their own shoes.  Shoes must be clean and white.  Sideline Competition Teams need two pairs of shoes.  One specifically for games that must be white and one for Competitions and practice only.

WARM UPS:    Beginning 2024 all Competition teams will require the Flames Zip Up jacket at their own cost. Pricing on jacket to come.  Sparks will recieve a warm up Hoodie.  The Hoodie will be included in your registration fees.  All Hoodies will have the last name on the back.

COACHES AND PRACTICE VOLUNTEERS
We are looking for parents who want to get involved with coaching and leading practices.  There are many ways to be involved: head coach, assistant coach, spotter, specialty coach, leading warmups, and conditioning.  You do not need to be a cheer expert to be a coach.  Please reach out to Nicole Schultes to learn how you can be involved!  We also need Team Managers, game day helpers, mat rollers and Coaches Committee volunteers.  Our program is 100% volunteer based.  Please consider volunteering and helping our program continue on in its success.