This month, we are featuring two competitions: Twist Your Spirit Chicago Unplugged and Champion Spirit Group Cheer For The Cure.  

At the Twist Your Spirit Chicago Unplugged event, Cheer Command Rockets (CCR) took home "five" 1st place wins, and at the Champion Spirit Group Cheer For The Cure competition, the CCR also pulled out "five" 1st place wins, "one" 2nd place win and the coveted trophies  for "Best Stunts," "Best Jumps," and "Craziest Fans."

NOTE: For all of the results, click any of the links above.

We caught up with CCR’s owner Felicia St. John and asked  despite a couple of bobbles during their routine, how do you think the teams handled these minor mishaps and what was the key to them still pulling out five awesome wins?  With great pride she replied “the athletes have been trained to know that there are several parts of a score sheet...  if you make a mistake on one part remember, there are other parts that are just as important. The athletes did a great job holding their composure during the routine and finished strong. They tried their best and that’s all that we can ask for.“

Cheer Command Rockets, out of Mokena, IL., is in its 11th season. They have anywhere from 6-9 teams per season including Tiny- Recruits, Youth-Corporals, Youth-Bomb Squad, Junior-Lieutenants, Junior-Majors, Senior-Sergeants, Senior-Captains,  Senior-Black Ops (Worlds Team), and a special needs team the Cadets.

CCR has had at least one team go to Worlds every year since 2006, with 4 of those years winning a paid bid.  CCR’s Level 5 team won the prestigious award of the Infinity Cup in 2011, and has won numerous national titles and specialty awards.  In 2011, the Cheer Command Rockets won Top Program at CSG Super Nationals, outscoring all other gyms.    In 2012, CCR Senior Captains won 1st place & Level 4 Grand Champions at the American Cheer Power Competition held at Northern Illinois University.

At the CSG Super Nationals in March of 2013, all seven of the CCR teams placed in the top three of their respective divisions; 4 teams became National Champions, and CCR took home coveted 'Sportsmanship Award'.  CCR program ended their 2012-2013 season at the CSG - Tournament of Champions, walking away with 2 second place finishes, 4 first place finishes, 2 Grand Champions’ Awards, specialty awards, and Fan Crazies Award.

Try outs for the 2013-2014 half-season will be held on Monday December 9, 2013 at 7:15-9:15 pm for ages 6-18. (No try out for ages 4-5, registration only) for more information go to www.cheercommand.com.  Cheer Command is definitely one of the teams we will be keeping our eye on.

Congratulations to Cheer Command Rockets and to all of the other winning teams!  We are definitely looking forward an awesome cheer season.