Following are frequently asked questions about Cheer. For more information, please contact the VP of Cheer.
Athletes must be entering 1st through 8th grade during the fall season of the current year. Cheerleaders are assigned to squads based on their grade level to ensure appropriate skill development, safety, and team consistency.
Team placement is not based on friendships, prior experience, or special requests.
In some cases, teams may be combined due to registration numbers. Combined teams will include no more than two adjacent grade levels.
Panthers is a 100% volunteer run program and there are plenty of opportunities to get involved. You can help at any of the following levels:
The cheer season begins in late July and runs through October and early November for most teams.
Panther cheerleaders also support Panther Football throughout the regular season. Each Competitive Cheer team will be required to cheer at four Panther football games during the season.
Teams that qualify for the ICA State Cheerleading Competition will continue their season through mid to late November, pending ICA schedules. Additional practices, competitions, and fees will apply for State-qualifying teams.
Families should review the Important Dates & Time Commitment section for all mandatory dates prior to registering.
All dates are subject to change.
Registration Deadlines
Competitive Cheer Registration Closes: April 26th
Sideline Cheer Registration Closes: May 17th
Registration may close earlier if team capacity is reached. Due to indoor practice space limitations, roster spots are limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Once teams are full, additional athletes cannot be guaranteed a spot.
Season Timeline
The 2026 Cheer Season officially begins July 27th, 2026 and runs through ICA State Championships in November 2026.
Competitive Cheer requires a full-season commitment. Families should review the dates below carefully before registering.
Uniform Fittings (Mandatory)
April 17th, April 18th, or May 21st
All athletes (returning and new) must attend one fitting date.
Choreography Dates (Mandatory )
July 31st & August 1st
August 8th & August 9th
August 29th & August 30th
Attendance is mandatory. These dates cannot be missed.
Panther Football Games (Mandatory – 4 games)
Each Competitive Cheer team will cheer at a total of four Panther football games.
Game schedules are typically released in mid-August.
Families should plan to hold all weekends from late August through October until game assignments are finalized.
Attendance at all assigned games is mandatory.
Competition Dates (Mandatory – Families should reserve ALL weekends below)
We will attend three competitions. Competitions are first-come, first-served, and final selections will be confirmed by May 10th.
Potential competition dates include:
September 12th or 13th
September 19th or 20th
October 3rd or 4th
October 10th or 11th
October 24th or 25th
ICA State Championship (Mandatory if team qualifies)
November 13th-15th and November 20th-22nd
8th Grade Teams compete Friday nights
1st-7th Grade Teams compete Saturday or Sunday
1st through 8th Grade squads will compete in a minimum of three (3) ICA Regional Competitions. All squads also have the opportunity to qualify and attend the ICA State Competition. State qualifying teams will incur an additional expense to cover state registration fees and additional indoor practice space.
The Panthers play regular season games against teams affiliated with the Bill George Football League. Some of the towns include Lombard, Carol Stream, Glendale Heights, Bartlett, Elk Grove, and West Chicago; for additional information and directions, please visit our BGYFL page. In addition to cheering at home/away games during the season, squads may also travel up to 90 minutes for their competitions.
Practices are held on Mondays and Wednesdays for two hours each evening between 5:00pm and 9:00pm. Exact practice times will be assigned after registration closes.
Additional practices may be scheduled at the coach’s discretion based on the needs of the team. Practices leading up to competitions, including choreography and the week of competition, are mandatory.
Athletes entering 5th-8th grade are highly encouraged to attend ICA’s Camp Castaway at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin. This overnight camp provides valuable instruction in stunting, jumps, motion technique, and team development, and helps prepare athletes for the upcoming competitive season.
2026 Camp Dates: June 7-9, 2026
Estimated Cost: Approximately $500 per athlete
Camp fees include:
Athletes will travel together by bus to and from camp. Parents will drop off and pick up athletes at a designated location local to Downers Grove.
Panthers coaches will attend camp and are responsible for supervising athletes throughout the duration of camp. Per ICA rules, parents are not permitted to attend or stay at camp.
This camp is optional and not included in Panther Cheer registration fees but strongly encouraged as portions of choreography are developed at camp.
Please note: ICA Camp Castaway is only open to athletes registered for the 2026 Panthers Competitive Cheer season. ICA Camp Castaway fees are non-refundable for any reason, as refunds are not issued by ICA once registration is completed. Panthers is not responsible for refunds, credits, or cancellations related to ICA camp.
As a non-profit organization, registration fees help cover league fees, administrative costs, insurance, and practice facility usage, including indoor practice time on cheer mats and artificial turf.
Competitive Cheer registration also includes:
The following items are not included in registration and are the responsibility of each athlete:
Additional optional or situational costs may include:
In order to keep registration costs down, cheerleaders will participate in one fundraiser totaling $100 which is included in the registration fee. The raffle tickets will be distributed during registration, and will need to be returned to your athletes coaches the first week of practice.
We love your athletes spirit and desire to cheer! Unfortunately, athletes committed to the Downers Grove Panthers cannot cheer for neighboring towns or Allstar organizations during the Panthers cheer season.
Downers Grove Panthers Cheer makes financial commitments on behalf of each athlete, including ICA Camp fees (grades 5-8 Competitive), uniforms, apparel, and league expenses. Because these costs are paid in advance and are non-refundable to the Panthers, the following policy applies:
Full Refund Deadline:
Refund requests submitted in writing on or before April 25th are eligible for a full refund of registration fees, less raffle tickets, discounts, and any items already ordered.
Partial Refund Period:
Refund requests submitted April 26th – May 29th are eligible for a 50% refund of registration fees, less ICA Camp fees, raffle tickets, uniforms, apparel, and discounts.
No Refunds:
No refunds will be issued after May 29th for any reason, including injury, illness, or withdrawal.
Non-Refundable Items:
The following items are non-refundable once ordered or paid:
**Only athletes registered for the upcoming Panthers Competitive Cheer season may attend ICA Camp.
To request a refund, email: treasurer@pantherjrfootball.org