Crestwood Cheerleaders Win State Championship!

DES MOINES – November 1, 2025 – The Crestwood High School Competition Team celebrated a triumphant day at the Iowa Cheerleading Coaches Association (ICCA) State Championships, securing 1st place in the 2A Game Time Spirit division. The event was held at the Jacobson Center at the Iowa State Fair Grounds in Des Moines, with Crestwood performing at 9:38 a.m. among a total of 21 competing teams in their division and category.

   In the Game Time Spirit division, routines consist of a one-minute cheer section followed by a one-minute fight song section. Despite facing challenges, including only having five cheerleaders performing on the mat—one less than the full team due to an injury—the Crestwood team demonstrated remarkable talent and teamwork. Their hard work paid off, as they achieved an impressive score of 93.1 out of 100, tying with Spirit Lake.

   To determine the winner, the judges used the high score from the Motion Technique portion of the rubric as a tiebreaker, and Crestwood excelled in this section, earning them the top spot in the competition.

   Coach Kalley Cunningham expressed her immense pride in her team following their victory. “I’m so incredibly proud of my team. They faced numerous setbacks throughout the season and overcame them,” she said. She further elaborated on the team’s philosophy, stating, “Our motto continues to be, ‘Leave it all on the mat,’ which means you gather everything the season has taught you — every hardship, every victory, all the blood, sweat, and tears, all the hard work, and all the laughs — and you take it with you to the mat. You give it your all and do your best, and you can be proud of your performance no matter the score because you know you’ve left it all on the mat.”

   Cunningham also shared her gratitude, saying, “I praise God because he has not only given me the privilege of coaching this team but blessed us with an amazing competition season and another State Championship title!”