Disabilities Do Not Define Abilities: Team Illinois Cheer Blue Dynasty

Five years ago, Kaylee Pellack brought one of her biggest dreams to life when she created the CheerAbilities program, Team Illinois Cheer Blue Dynasty.

Growing up, Kaylee was an all star cheerleader and watched as her sister with cerebral palsy supported her each competition and shared the same love and passion for the sport. However, at the time, there was no opportunity for her sister to be involved in the sport as well.  

Fast forward past her college years, Kaylee was determined to give her sister the same opportunities she once had as an athlete and thus Team Illinois Cheer Blue Dynasty was created.  

Throughout the years the team has grown tremendously and changed locations a few times, but the team motto has always remained the same. 

“Disabilities do not define abilities.”

Team Illinois Cheer Blue Dynasty has won several championships but at the end of the day what makes this team so important is the emphasis on family and inclusion. Coach Kaylee believes in the idea that all athletes deserve the same opportunities and that we are not the circumstances we were born into. 

Since her athletes love and respect her dearly, the program has found that they now too know and want to be accepted just as other big-name teams in the all star cheer world. 

If you ask the team, they will tell you, we want someone to watch our routine and say, “Wow they are the TGLC or Senior Elite of CheerAbilities”. 

Team Illinois Cheer Blue Dynasty is known to showcase each athletes’ skills and push the limits on what the team performs on the floor!  

Last season Team Illinois Cheer Blue Dynasty was chosen to represent the US Nationals Team at the ICU World Championships. They brought home the gold medal for the U.S. and had the greatest experience together as a team. 

“It meant so much more to our athletes to feel the love and acceptance from the whole cheer community during that event. During the championships, no one saw the athletes as a special needs cheer team but instead just another member of a US Nationals Team.” – Kaylee East 

This weekend Team Illinois Cheer Blue Dynasty has brought their skills to Dallas, Texas to compete at the 2020 NCA All-Star National Championship.

“The competitive nature of the athletes in the program grows each year and we think that is what we are most looking forward to at NCA All-Star Nationals,” shared Coach Kaylee East. “We love to see our athletes push to show the world that they can continue to defy odds even if that doesn’t mean they come out as champions.”

This season Team Illinois Cheer Blue Dynasty has had a strong emphasis on “Ohana” and the idea that no matter where they go, they stand together. 

“I think this season we have found that we are just looking forward to continuing showing the cheer world that the CheerAbilities division can be just as competitive as your Level 5 and 6 athletes and they want the same respect as those athletes too.”

Moving forward in the CheerAbilities division, Coach Kaylee and her athletes would like to continue to see the division grow not just competitively but also in the cheer world as a whole. They hope to see athletes from all levels show support to the division and truly understand how difficult some of the skills they are performing are for each of these athletes to do.  

Check out Team Illinois Blue Dynasty and the rest of the CheerAbilities division in Hall A this weekend!

View 2020 NCA All-Star Nationals Results

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