Competitive and Non-Competitive Recreational Cheerleading
The Crystal Lake Raiders are proud to offer cheerleading (age 3 - 8th grade) for children at all levels of ability and experience. Our main goal is to teach cheerleading skills in a fun, safe environment. Please see our Cheerleader/Parent Handbook for detailed information about our policies, procedures, and expectations.

All cheerleading teams perform cheers, stunts, jumps and tumbling on the sidelines during the Raiders football games. Teams are formed based on grade level, with 1-3 grade levels per team, depending on the number of participants.

The following cheerleading options are available, based on grade level:

• Age 3 - 5 - Tiny Tots
  • Shortened season
  • Practices in the summer, and cheer for a few football games
• Kindergarten - 1st grade - Mascot cheer
  • Competing: football games + two competitions
• 2nd - 8th grade - competitive cheerleading teams.
  • Competing: football games + at least 4 competitions

All teams perform at our annual Family Performance Night

No experience is necessary to join either competing or non-competing teams - no try-outs! Newcomers are welcome at every age/level. Anyone from any location can join, there are no city boundaries for recreational cheerleading.

Held between mid-July and mid-November. The times will vary by team. Practices are held outdoors in the warm months, and indoors in the colder months.

We also offer an excellent program for athletes with special needs, called the Sparkle Squad. See the Sparkle page for more information.