WANT TO BE PART OF A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED CHEER PROGRAM? 

The Elmhurst Bears Cheer program promotes fun, safety, development and team building. Whether sideline only or competition teams, each athlete will focus on cheer skills such as stunting, tumbling, dance, motions and cheers.  

Our Pop Warner Cheer Program is the Best in the Nation!

• Elmhurst Bears Cheer partners with local, professional gyms to provide a world class practice experience for our athletes. All teams practice on indoor competition mats throughout the season. 

• Elmhurst Bears cheer program offers programs for 4 – 13 years of age. Competition teams start at age 6, and the opportunity to compete nationally in Pop Warner’s National Cheer and Dance Competition in Charlotte, NC begins at age 8. The four Elmhurst Bears competition cheerleaders placed 1st, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd at Nationals in 2025!

• All Elmhurst Bears Cheer Coaches are certified through Pop Warner. Together with Youth Cheer and Dance Alliance (YCADA), all coaches must take online educational courses, so they are properly trained on cheer skills and coaching. All coaches must also pass a background check.  

• As a proud member of Pop Warner Little Scholars, the cheer program also focus on academics requiring our athletes to excel in the classroom before permitting them to participate on the field.

 Practices, Games & Performances

Practices begin on August 1 and are two days per week. Sideline teams and 6/7-year-old competition team will practice 1.5 hours and our other competition teams ages 8 and up will practice 2 hours. The only exception is our 4/5-year-old sideline team which will practice 1 day per week for 1 hour.   

Exact dates will be communicated by June. Once assigned, all practice schedules will remain consistent throughout the season.

All cheer teams participate on the sidelines for 4-5 home football games beginning the last weekend of August. The schedule is created by Pop Warner and the first few games will be available mid-August. Our home games take place at Plunkett Field in Elmhurst. All cheerleaders will be off for Labor Day Weekend.  

All cheer teams get to participate at the Elmhurst St. Patrick’s Day parade. 

Competitions 

The Elmhurst Bears teams will participate in approximately 3-4 local competitions depending on the division and team. Competition teams ages 8 and up will compete to advance to Nationals in Charlotte, North Carolina. Our 6/7-year-old competition team is a non-travel team that will end their season after regionals located in Schaumburg, IL. All competition teams participate in conference and regional competitions. Those advancing past the regional level  will be responsible for funding any associated competition, travel and accessory costs for nationals. Fundraising opportunities will be available!  Competition dates and information are sent out by June.
 

Registration and Uniforms 

Sideline only (Ages 4-13): $375.00  
Competitive (Ages 6-13): $680.00  

The Registration Fee Covers 

• Consistent practice rental space on competition mats.
  
  

• Insurance 

• Uniform rental   

• Bling Elmhurst Bears Warm up Jacket (all teams) 

• Homecoming t-shirt (all teams) 

• Elmhurst Bears practice wear, including shorts and tank (all teams) 

• Game day bow (all teams) 

• Pink bow to help recognize National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (all teams)  

• Music and copyrights for competition 

• All competition fees (excluding nationals) 

• Competition bow (competition teams only)

• Competition gifts (competition teams only)

Parents are responsible to provide white cheer shoes and white no-show socks. All competition athletes will be required to purchase Nfinity Fearless for practice and competition days. Sideline athletes can purchase any white cheer shoe.  

*Uniform is required to be returned in as is condition at the end of season.  All other items will be your athletes to keep 

**Your athlete will be issued one Rental Competition Uniform to be returned at the end of the season.