The Black Onyx All Stars, a predominantly Black girls cheerleading squad from Englewood, are set to compete in the Kalahari Xtreme Spirit National Championship this Saturday in Wisconsin Dells. The team, which has won 15 local, regional, and national championships since its founding in 2024, will face teams from across the United States.
The upcoming competition is significant for the team as it continues to challenge barriers and underrepresentation of athletes of color in cheerleading. Coaches Endigo Allen and Imani Cobb have been preparing their athletes since September, focusing on skill development, leadership, and community engagement. “They’re going to win,” Allen said. Cobb added confidently, “Yeah, they’re gonna.”
The squad consists of three age-based teams with members ranging from 3 to 17 years old. After winning first place at their first competition of the season in late February, the coaches emphasized the importance of consistent practice and attendance. “All of the preparation that goes into it is just consistent practice,” Cobb said. She explained that every member’s presence is crucial: “If one person is gone, it’s really hard for us to recoup from that because it’s not like basketball where we have a whole bunch of people sitting on a bench.”
Support from sponsors such as Male Mogul Initiative has helped cover costs for practice mats and transportation. Allen and Cobb also fundraise and apply for grants to keep participation affordable for over 30 team members. “All the things that we do, [we do] just so they can have a really good experience ’cause a lot of girls don’t experience this because of the lack of resources,” Cobb said.
Most participants were new to cheerleading this season. The coaches host summer camps ahead of tryouts and plan to expand these into weekly clinics without turning interested girls away. “We meet the girls wherever they are… our tryouts are not so much… ‘We’re gonna turn you around,’ but they’re more so a placement,” Allen said.
Parents like Joy Sims recognize the dedication required by both athletes and coaches: “They’re not getting paid to be here… but they give a lot of their time and energy to it.” Former team member Hete Rahchamas now serves as a junior coach and credits her growth to Allen and Cobb: “They push you to that standard… ‘This is me. This is something I want to do.’”
After this weekend’s event in Wisconsin Dells, Black Onyx will prepare for competitions in Libertyville next month and Nashville in May. For Allen and Cobb, building confidence among their athletes remains as important as any trophy: “So we always say, ‘Walk with your head held up. Walk like you belong.’”
