When most people in the community see Franklin Regional cheerleaders, it’s in the context of supporting another athletic team.
“They see our athletes under the Friday night lights, or during basketball season, when they’re there to engage the crowd, entertain and support the team,” said FR cheer coach Ashley Harmon. “But they don’t always see them demonstrating the level of athleticism they show on the competition mat.”
That athleticism was on full display during the final weekend in January, when the team made it to the semifinal round of the PIAA’s 2025 Competitive Spirit Championships, held at the Santander Arena in Reading.
“It’s been more than five years since the program had a team qualify for states,” said FR’s junior varsity coach Rachael Cepicka. “So this was a new experience for all 15 athletes who attended the competition.”
It was also a new experience for Cepicka and middle school coach Kaitlyn Chelkis, who ended up taking the varsity team to Reading as Harmon was settling into life as a brand-new mother, after having her daughter on Jan. 10.
“They stepped up in a big way to make sure these athletes made it to states,” Harmon said.
The Lady Panthers were among 120 teams vying for a spot in the finals in five separate divisions. FR competes in the 3A (small varsity) division, made up of 40 schools.
Cepicka said the team prepares a 2-minute-30-second routine in the summer, which they use in competition throughout the season. The routine is revised and upgraded as the team’s skill level progresses during the year.
She said this year’s team faced some adversity due to injury and illness.
“We ended up with only 11 girls competing on the mat, which forced us to make some significant structural changes to the routine,” Cepicka said. “The girls did an incredible job adapting to those changes and learning the new material quickly.”
While they did not move on to the finals competition, the team’s coaches were excited at their showing.
“Making the semifinals is an amazing accomplishment, especially since our school hadn’t participated in years,” Cepicka said.