“I see our name, and I scream ‘we made it’ and [the room] just went boom and we were all just going nuts.” 

Third-year head coach of the Prospective Competition Dance Team Katina Frericks recalls the exact moment she and her team found out that they were advancing to the IHSA State competition. 

Throughout Frericks’ time as head coach for the team, she was accustomed to two hour practices from November through February and choreographed her team’s dance with intricate lifts and partner work. But that all changed with the COVID-19 pandemic. From starting their season off in March instead of November, to virtual tryouts through Zoom, the Dance Team faced a lot of challenges this year. Frericks remembers how ecstatic the team was when they found out they were even going to have a competitive season this year. 

“We were so excited the moment we got the news. We held a Zoom that night and you could just sense the energy over Zoom,” Frericks said.

Although the team was put on a temporary pause by the IHSA only two days into their season, the team eventually got back to competing. One of the two team captains, Grace Terry, felt that the team was motivated by their competitions as a sort of deadline, but she also remembers how stressful that time was. Frericks also recalls the highs and lows of each competition but believes that all of their hard work paid off. 

Terry has been on the Prospect Poms, Orchesis, and Competitive Dance teams all four years of high school, and this was her third year making it to the State competition. She remembers the pure excitement and chaos that ensued after the team found out they made it to State this year. 

“As soon as the [results] screen refreshed, our coaches started screaming, and we were all screaming because we barely made sixth place by like 0.3 of a point,” Terry said.

The team ended up placing 25th at State and their hard work and positive attitudes paid off. Frericks is proud of her team for making it to State and pushing past all of the obstacles working against them this year. 

“We keep saying that [making State] is like the cherry on top, and sectionals was the sprinkles on top,” Frericks said. “… and man, do I like this cupcake with sprinkles and a cherry on top.”