ILLINOIS HIGH SCHOOL CHEERLEADING COACHES ORGANIZATION
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About.

The Illinois High School Cheerleading Coaches Organization (IHSCCO) was founded by coaches, for coaches. The main goal is to provide support for its member coaches by creating educational opportunities, providing resources and promoting growth within the IHSA cheerleading community.

IHSCCO Board of Directors


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Wil Hansen
​Hersey HS (CoEd Varsity)

​President
[email protected]
Wil has been coaching cheerleading in Illinois for 12 years.  He is entering his fifth year as a head coach at Hersey High School.  Before coaching at Hersey he coached at Buffalo Grove where he is a business / multimedia teacher and also sponsors Yearbook.  His favorite stunt is the low to high full around. ​

Term End: 2027-2028
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​Rachael Fischer
Cary Grove HS (Medium Varsity)

Vice President
​[email protected]
Rachael has been coaching cheerleading for 10 years.  She is currently at Cary-Grove High School as the Varsity Assistant Coach. She also teaches Family and Consumer Sciences at C-G.  Before coming to C-G she was at LZ for 4 years and she coached at Hampshire HS for 3 years before that.  Her favorite part of coaching is watching her athletes on the competition mat and seeing all their hard work pay off.

Term End: 2025-2026
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Jeannine Bejlovec
Wilmington HS (Small Varsity)
Secretary 
​[email protected]
Jeannine has been coaching cheerleading for 25+ years. She is entering her 28th year at Wilmington High School. She is also a 6th grade social studies teacher at Wilmington Middle School. Her favorite part of coaching is seeing the pure joy and sense of accomplishment from  athletes when they achieve new skills. 

Term End: 2026-2027

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Matt Dawes
Lexington-Ridgeview (Small Varsity)
Co-Treasurer
​[email protected]

Matt has been coaching cheerleading for the past 17 years at the all-star, college, and high school level.  As a Head Coach, he has coached at Johnsburg High School (’18-’24) and Antioch (’15-’17).  He was also an Assistant Coach at Morris (’14).  He is currently the Assistant Principal and Athletic Director at Lexington High School.
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​Term End: 2026-2027
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Janelle Stubs
Marian Catholic HS (Medium Varsity)

Co-Treasurer

​[email protected]
Janelle has been coaching cheerleading for 11 years.  She coaches at her alma mater Marian Catholic High School.  Janelle is also a criminal defense attorney.  Her favorite part of coaching is watching athletes develop skills and confidence that transcend this sport.

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Term End: 2027-2028
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​Kyle Nagle
​Lake Forest HS (Medium Varsity)

Co-Technology Chair
​[email protected]
Kyle has been coaching high school cheerleading for 18 years and is currently the head fall sideline coach at Deerfield HS and the winter assistant varsity coach at Lake Forest HS. She also coaches girls lacrosse in the spring at DHS. As a former gymnast, one of Kyle's favorite aspects of cheerleading is incorporating tumbling into game day and competition performances. 

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Term End: 2025-2026

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Shannon Pecson
​Palatine HS (CoEd Varsity)

Co-Technology Chair
​[email protected]
Shannon has coached high school cheerleading for the past 8 years and is moving into her 4th year as the head coach at her Alma mater, Palatine High School. She lives in Chicago with her husband and her precious pup, Penny. Shannon was an educator for the past 6 years and has now switched to being a Customer Success Manager at Screencastify. Her favorite part of coaching is getting to see all of the special moments when a skill or routine hits for the first time and there is pure joy and excitement from the athletes!

​Term End: 2027-2028
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Alexa Kritikos
Crystal Lake Central HS (Medium Varsity)

Co-Education Chair
​[email protected]

Alexa has been coaching cheerleading for ten years. She is about to begin her fourth year as head coach at Crystal Lake Central High School. In addition to coaching, Alexa is a math teacher at CLC. Her favorite part of coaching are the bonds she forms with her athletes.

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Term End: 2026-2027
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CoMakiya Baskin-Smith
Southland College Prep (Small Varsity)

Co-Education Chair
​[email protected]
​CoMakiya has been coaching at the high school level for eight years at Southland College Prep Charter High School in Richton Park, Illinois.  She is proud to be a part of the growing traditions of the Southland Athletics Program, where Competitive Cheerleading started for the first time in the 2024-2025 season. Prior to this, she co-founded a community based Cheer program serving hundreds of aspiring athletes and nurturing their love for the sport. CoMakiya works in local government and loves opportunities where she can help her team serve their community and learn about their local community leaders. Her favorite part about coaching is empowering athletes to discover their full potential in cheerleading and in life. She is honored and humbled each time former athletes return to share their life experiences with the Team.

​Term End: 2027-2028

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Kearsten Nardulli
St. Viator HS (Medium Varsity)
Co-Mentor Advisor
[email protected]
Kearsten is going into her 16th year as a coach in the IHSA, and is currently the head coach at Saint Viator High School. She is a stay at home mom to two very energetic little boys! Kearsten’s favorite part of coaching is the relationships she forms with her athletes that last well after they have graduated. There is no greater feeling than seeing once timid freshman become amazing adults, who have been shaped by cheerleading. ​

​Term End: 2025-2026
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Linda Drust
Carterville HS (Small Varsity)

Co-Mentor Advisor
[email protected]
Linda Drust has been a cheer coach at a variety of levels for over two decades.  She is currently in her 13th year as the Head Cheer Coach at Carterville High School.  Linda is a retired educator, having spent the majority of her career as a school administrator.  Linda's favorite part about coaching is mentoring new coaches, coaching with her daughter, and facilitating the development of young athletes.  Her underlying goal is to help athletes develop skills to be a confident spouse, parent, and employee after they leave high school.  Linda was named the NFHS National Cheer Coach of the Year for 2020 - 2021 and is currently a member of the IHSA Competitive Cheerleading Advisory Committee (Division 7).  Linda was selected to the IHSCCO Coaches Hall of Fame--Class of 2024.

​Term End: 2027-2028
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Jen Dosch
Vernon Hills HS (Medium Varsity)

Hall of Fame Chair
​​[email protected]

Jen has been coaching cheerleading for 12 years starting with Rec & Junior High and now currently, the allstar and high school level. She is currently the Head Varsity Cheerleading Coach at Vernon Hills High School, as well as a Coach/Instructor for Ultimate Athletics in Arlington Heights. Jen currently works as a Real Estate Broker and Make-A-Wish of Illinois Wish Discovery Expert Leader as well as a Wish Granter. Her favorite part about coaching is building high character athletes and humans! Watching goals being obtained is always great, but watching the journey to reach those goals is amazing! 

Term End: 2027-2028

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Amanda Goldsboro
Greenville HS (Small Varsity)

Social Media Chair
​[email protected]

Amanda has been coaching cheerleading for eleven years.  She is currently the head coach for Greenville High School. Amanda also teaches Math and Digital Design at Greenville Junior High. She recently completed her Masters in Instructional Technology and Design.  When cheerleading isn’t keeping her busy, her two boys are! Her favorite part of coaching is watching the growth of each individual athlete over the four years of high school. As well as, being able to connect with them beyond those four years. Amanda currently serves as a mentor to new coaches with the IHSCCO Mentoring program. 

Term end: 2025-2026
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​Morgan Grunloh Barnes
Lexington-Ridgeview (Small Varsity)

Co-Conference Chair
​[email protected]
Morgan has been the Assistant Varsity Coach at her alma mater, Lexington HS, since 2015. She has also been the head JV coach for the co-op for several seasons. Her favorite part of coaching is watching the athletes develop into great cheerleaders and amazing people throughout the course of their HS careers. Outside of cheerleading she is also an ICU nurse.

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Term End: 2027-2028
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Nick Peterson
Vernon Hills HS (Medium Varsity)
​Membership Chair
[email protected]
Nick has been coaching for the past 8 years and is currently coaching at Vernon Hills High School. He cheered for 7 years at the all-star, high school, and collegiate levels before he transitioned into the coaching side. He works at Rush University medical Center in downtown Chicago in Pediatrics and has a6 year old puppy named Banks! His favorite part about coaching is watching his athletes achieve their goals both on and off the mat, and his favorite stunt is a full up switch up!

​Term End: 2025-2026

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Kelsey Adams
Grayslake Central HS (Medium Varsity)
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All-State Chair
[email protected]

Kelsey is heading into her 12th year coaching at her alma mater, Grayslake Central High School. She has over a decade of experience coaching, staffing and choreographing in Illinois. In addition to coaching, Kelsey works in Space Management at Walgreens Co. She and her husband have 2 boys, Charlie (3.5) and George (1.5) and a 10 year old pup, Bella!

​​Term End: 2026-2027
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Joe LaBeck
Lake Park HS (CoEd Varsity)

Co-Conference Chair
​[email protected]



​Term End: 2027-2028
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Shelby Rosin
Prospect HS (Large Varsity)

Scholarship Chair
​[email protected]

Shelby has been coaching for 8 years and is in her 4th year as the head coach at Prospect High School. She is a biology teacher at Prospect, where she teaches Environmental Science and Oceanography, and also runs their peer tutoring program and co-sponsors their zoology club. In her free time, she works and takes classes at a Taekwondo studio. Her favorite parts of cheerleading are the Friday night lights and seeing her athletes develop confidence and passion for the sport.

Term End: 2027-2028​

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Colleen Duncan
West Aurora HS (Large Varsity)
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Voting Board Member
[email protected]

Colleen has been coaching cheerleading at West Aurora High School for 7 years. She served for 1 year as head JV coach, and is in her 6th year as Varsity head coach. Colleen teaches History and Civics at West High, and lives in the West Aurora community with her three sons. Colleen’s favorite part of coaching is using the sport of cheerleading as a means to facilitate growth in all of her athletes, giving young athletes a safe space to learn to take risks and step out of their comfort zones, and forming relationships with them that last beyond graduation. 
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​​Term End: 2025-2026
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Marissa Kelley
Grant HS (Large Varsity)
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Voting Board Member
[email protected]

Marissa has been coaching at the high school level for 8 years, serving two years as the head JV coach until she became the head coach of Grant Community High School. A proud GCHS alum, she cheered all four years of high school and now works with at the school as a dedicated school social worker. Marissa’s favorite part of coaching is creating a safe and supportive space where athletes can build meaningful relationships, develop both life and cheerleading skills, and work toward achieving their goals.

​Term End: 2027-2028
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Julianne Jacob
Breese Central HS (Small Varsity)
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Voting Board Member
[email protected]
Julianne has been the head cheerleading coach at Breese Central High School for 17 years, where she also teaches math. She lives in Aviston with her husband and their three daughters. In addition to coaching at the high school level, she also helps coach her daughters’ all-star cheer squad. She loves coaching because it allows her to help athletes grow in confidence, support one another, and be part of something greater than themselves—all through a shared passion for cheerleading.

​Term End: 2027-2028



IHSCCO Board Liaisons 

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​Katie Clemons
IHSA Officials Liaison
Katie Clemons is beginning her 16th year as an IHSA official, and has served as the state series Head Technical Official for 6 years. Katie was awarded the IHSA Official of the Year Award in 2021, and has served as the officials' liaison for the IHSCCO  since its inception. Katie coached at University of St. Francis in Joliet for 10 years, and Lincoln-Way North for 2 years. She worked for Universal Cheerleaders Association for 10 years as a camp instructor, and has judged internationally, nationally and locally for the company since 2010. Katie lives in Northwest Indiana with her husband and 3 children. 
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Ryan Ludwig
Athletic Director Liaison

Ryan's journey began in sports nutrition before he found himself in the education world. He joined Cary-Grove High School in 2009, where he held various roles, from Special Education Teacher to Dean of Students. Ryan helped shape the school's culture and supported student success. In 2022, Ryan became the Athletic Director, overseeing sports programs with dedication. 

Over the years, Ryan has been deeply involved in coaching various sports teams at CG, including serving as Assistant Girls Track Coach, Head Wrestling Coach, Assistant Football Coach, and Assistant Athletic Director. Under his guidance, the teams he coached achieved remarkable success, including producing a state individual wrestling champion and contributing to four state championships in football as a coach in 2009, 2018, and 2021, and one as an Athletic Director in 2023.

Ryan's commitment to leadership growth is evident both on and off the field, leaving a lasting legacy of excellence at Cary-Grove High School.

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  • Home
  • About
  • Membership
  • Resources
  • Conference
  • All-State
  • Scholarship
  • Coaches Hall of Fame
  • Education
  • Equity and Diversity
  • FAQ
  • Contact
  • Member Resources